Merge
by Reion
Summary: Tai and Matt have finally made it to the outside but what they find is desturbing, and the trouble dosnt end there! The Dark Lord's servants are learking right around the cornor. Can Matt and Tai survive? Or has the Dark Lord trully won? Chapter 12 Up
1. Loging in

Merge  
  
I don't own digimon blah blah blah. Ok Let me clear up the ages thingy. (They might not go with the show)  
  
Joe 23, Matt 21, Tai 21, Sora 20 ½, Mimi 20, Izzy barley 20, Kari 19, TK 18  
  
I don't really want to have to much of the 02 kids in this (mainly cause I think 02 was a total let down) but I guess I have to so here's their ages too:  
  
Davis 18, Yolei 19, Ken 18, Cody 16  
  
Oh and Tai and Matt are going to be late to class because their in college not because they got held back!!! Lol It'll make sense when you read it. And also if it's a bit boring dun worry It'll get better!  
  
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The Dark figure with the white face stood with his head thrown back. He wiped the blood of the gate keeper off his staff with a sick satisfaction. The gate beside him glistened with a warm glow but not for long. The figure stretched out his withered hand that had seen to many years and darkness twisted and twirled and slithered into the light consuming it. A low horse cackle crept from the figures black depths where no heart lay and from his cracked lips these words echoed, "Let it come! Let the Darkness come!!!"  
  
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TOKYO 2004  
  
Tick.  
  
Tock.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tock.  
  
Music exploded into Matts ear.  
  
~~~And they say that a Hero will save us!~~~  
  
GAH!  
  
~~~I'm not gonna stand here and wait!~~~  
  
THUMP!!!  
  
~~~I'll hold on to the wings of an eagle watch a--~~~  
  
Matt groggily reached up from where he had fallen on the floor and slammed the alarm off with his hand.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tock.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tock.  
  
With a deep sigh Matt raised his hand to his forehead out of habit to brush away the long bangs that were no longer there. Matt had cut his precious hair a few weeks ago as a dare to about an inch long. As part of the deal Tai was supposed to get his hair cut as well but he chicken out at the last minute. "Stupid Tai." Matt grumbled sleepily, "I should have made him go first."  
  
He slowly and painfully dragged him self up from where he had fallen and drowsily stumbled over into the bathroom to take a shower.  
  
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~HALF HOUR LATER~  
  
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Matt yawned as he stirred the scrambled eggs than went over to the cabinet to get two plates. He scooped a healthy portion into one than did the same for the other. He poured himself some orange juice than calmly walked over to his roommate's door, kicking a soccer ball out of the way as he went.  
  
"TAAAAI!" He shouted ramming his fist into the door. "Your going to be late again if you don't get up!!!" Matt heard an odd little WHAB sound threw the door and than clumsy foot steps.  
  
Matt smiled slightly knowing what would happen next, and went back to his breakfast. Five minutes later a very disgruntled looking Tai threw the door to his room open, rushed towards the kitchen and promptly tripped over the soccer ball. Tai glared at Matt who was laughing hysterically and slowly got up off the floor rubbing his chin in pain. "Ha ha very funny."  
  
Tai slumped down on his chair next to his friend and started to engulf his breakfast. Matt looked on in amassment. "Man Tai, slow down there will yah, or you might get a stomach ack, and I'm telling you right now I'm not cleaning that up!."  
  
Tai shuck his head, "Cunt." He said threw a mouthful of food. "I snill huve tu prunt" Tai swallowed his food in one big gulp than continued, "out my history paper for class." He laid his chop sticks down in satisfaction, ignoring the astonished look Matt was giving him, and went over to the computer in the living room being careful not to trip over the soccer ball this time.  
  
Matt finished up his breakfast at a much more civilized pace, and put the dishes in the sink. As he did so his knife slipped threw his hand and a small cut formed on his hand. Matt hissed and grabbed his hand in pain. The cut wasn't that deep, but it still hurt like hell. He grabbed a paper towel and raped it around his hand than looked at the clock impatiently now thoroughly pissed with his day. It was almost 7:30. Class started at 8. He shouted to Tai to hurry it up, but Tai didn't answer back.  
  
"Tai! Come on!!! Were gonna be late again!" Matt said, grabbing his back pack with his left hand. He gave an annoyed sigh than walked around the corner into the living room to see what the hell was taking Tai so long. "Tai-" Matt was cut short. Tai wasn't there. "Tai?"  
  
Matt took another look around in confusion. He hadn't heard Tai leave and the door was still locked. He walked over to the couch next to the computer. "Tai! Come on this isn't funny! Tai?" Than he heard this odd sound of machinery coming from behind him.  
  
Matt froze for a moment, unsure of what it could be. He slowly turned around towards the sound and was facing the computer. Matt stared in disbelief. "What tha.." The computer was logging into the digiworld!  
  
"How the hell, Tai doesn't have a D-3." Suddenly light shot out of the computer screen. Matt screamed when the light hit him, it felt like daggers. Matt steeped back in surprise dropping his back pack and the paper towel around his cut to shield his face with his arms. Two drops of blood fell from his cut to the floor. Than suddenly he was sucked into the computer.  
  
The clock ticked, tocked, ticked, tocked. And the apartment was empty.  
  
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TK stood laughing with Tai and Matt. He didn't know about what. As if realizing where he was for the first time he looked around. They were in a park, but that's not the strange part. The strange part was that the park never ended. It just kept going and going for as far as the eye could see.  
  
TK looked back towards Tai and Matt again. It didn't seem to bother them. Suddenly Matt and Tai's faces turned pale and they slumped to the ground. TK ran to them but before he could get to them a darkness had begun rapping its self around them.  
  
TK cried out in fright. "Matt! Tai!" His voice echoed. Suddenly they were no longer in the park they were in a dark place. That was the only way to explain it. TK looked around and saw that other people were there too. He couldn't make out their faces. He turned back to Matt and Tai.  
  
They were fighting with the darkness, struggling to beat it off, at times it seemed like they were winning but more often than not it was the darkness that was winning.  
  
Again TK tried to run to them but when he put his hand to them it went right threw as if he were a ghost. He watched in horror as they began to slump to the ground and become unconscious. The darkness had cut off their air. TK cried out "NOOOOO!"  
  
Suddenly he felt himself being pulled away from them. He struggled to stay by their side. Maybe he could do something! But the pull was too strong.  
  
TK sat straight up in bed. A single bead of sweat ran down his face even though it was quite cold in his room. He was breathing heavily and for a moment he was unsure where he was. Than he remembered his dream. "Matt! Tai!" TK looked wildly at his clock. 7:20.  
  
TK jumped out of bed and ran to get dressed. In less than five minutes he was out the door and in his car. He had to get to Matt and Tai. Just to see if they were alright. Just to make sure his dream hadn't been real.  
  
The thought of how absurd this was crossed TK's mind. He was getting so worried over a dream! But when the memory of his dream came back to him all doubts that it was just a dream left his mind. That dream was real, or at least semi-real. And if what his instincts told him were right, than Matt and Tai were in big trouble.  
  
(yeah yeah I know what yer saying why didn't he just call um? Well if he had just called um than it wouldn't have been as much fun, get it? . right)  
  
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``````````````````````````````` Wanna know what happened to Tai and Matt? Wanna know what TK's dream's all about? Well the only way you'll find out is to read the next chapter!!!  
  
Hey and look I'm so nice I'm giving you a PREVEIW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!  
  
The boys aka Yama and Tai find out that theres trouble in the digiworld. Yeah Yeah Yeah I know It's the same thing in every fic. The digidestined get transported back to digiworld, another evil dudes out to destroy them, but I promise this time its gonna be different!!! OK ummmmm lets see TK and the others discover that Matt and Tai are missing and I'll shed some light on the whole TK dream thing. yeah and that's all I'm telling. Ok so maybe I'm not that nice. ::laughs evilly:: I LUV BEING VAUGE!!!  
  
Oh and Next chap. I'll stick some of the other characters in there for those of you that ::sniff sniff:: don't like yama and tai !!!::sob:: ^_^ So don't you worry.  
  
Oh yeah! and one more thing, I know this chapter was short and I apologize. Next one 'ill be longer. Promise.  
  
Okie dokie-I luv saying that lol okie dokie okie doki--::slaps herself:: woooo that was fun! But seriously Chow for now!  
  
::waves::  
  
Sit ubu Sit  
  
7-4-03 


	2. Where the hell are we?

CHAPTER 2!!!!  
  
Well since yer reading this right now I guess you liked the first chapter. YEY! As promised this chapter is longer. by about two thousand words. ::hands twitches:: ouchie my hands are cramped! Well There's really nothing more to say, this chapter is pretty much self explanatory. soooooo yeah. ^_^  
  
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Tai awoke to a major head ack. He groaned and tried to sit up, but was only greeted with an even worse head ack.  
  
He laid his head back down painfully and became aware of an annoying sound of dripping water.  
  
Drip  
  
Drip  
  
Drip  
  
What had happened? Tai tried to remember. At first it was just a fuzzy memory but than it came back in full force. He had been walking over to the computer to print out his history paper.  
  
He had just pressed print and since he thought he had a bit of time he had decided to log on to the internet and check his email. He had put in the internet password and than. than the computer went all fuzzy. He had hit it and had cussed a bit thinking he had broken it. Matt was going to be so mad.  
  
Than the screen had come back into focus but it wasn't the internet, it was logging in to the digiworld. Tai had froze. "What the hell." Than this light had shot out that hurt like the dickens and the next thing he knew he was waking up here. Where ever here was.  
  
That's when Tai decided enough was enough, he couldn't lay around here all day. He tried to sit up again. This time he was ready for the head ack and after a few painful moments it subsided. Tai got to his feet wobbly and looked around.  
  
He was in a cave, a dark cave. He shivered as a cool breeze brushed by him. Make that a dark, cold cave. When his eyes had adjusted he looked around once more and froze when he saw a body about ten feet away. He couldn't make out who it was in the dark. He stood there dumb founded as to what to do for a moment than decided he should go and check if who ever it was was alright.  
  
He had just reached the body when the person let out a grown and shook its head. "Hey are you alright?" Tai asked leaning over it. The figure stopped and than a familiar but drowsy voice said, "Tai?"  
  
Tai recognized that voice. "Matt?"  
  
"How-" Matt tried to get up but than was given the same head ack as Tai had received. "Oh man."  
  
"Yeah I should have warned you about that."  
  
If it hadnt been so dark Tai would have seen the sarcastic 'oh gee thanks' look Matt was giving him right then. Matt put a hand to his head than asked. "How'd we get here?"  
  
"I don't know." Tai aid leaning back and helping Matt to his feet. Matt wobbled for a moment than was able to stand on his own. "I was printing out my homework, than I decided to check my email. As soon as I got on the internet the digi-login thing came on the screen and than this bright light shot out. Next thing I know I'm waking up here."  
  
"That's the same thing than happened to me." Matt said with a bit of confusion in his voice. "I had come in to see what was taking you so long, and than the computer screen began to login to the digiworld, than the light, than I'm here."  
  
"Well than I guess were in the digiworld." Tai said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Great." Matt said with fake joy.  
  
"Ha ha." Tai answered.  
  
"Well, what are we gonna do now?" Matt said with a sigh. His eye were almost adjusted now, and he could just make out the dark blob that was Tai.  
  
"Find a way outta here."  
  
"Ok Einstein, which way?"  
  
"I dun know!" Tai said accusingly. "I cant even see two feet in front of me so how am I supposed to know which way we should go."  
  
"Ok fine lets go this way."  
  
"Which way?"  
  
"Left."  
  
"My left or yours?"  
  
Matt let out a sigh. This was going to be a loooooooong day.  
  
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TK knocked on the door of his brother apartment. No one answered. TK frowned. He thought he would have caught him. It was only 7:40. And the door man said he hadn't seen Matt and Tai leave yet. TK reached up to the top of the door and pulled out the extra key. They probably just slept in late, he reasoned trying to brush aside the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
He opened the door and closed it behind him, no need to wake the neighbors. "Matt?" He shouted. No answer. "Tai?" No answer. TK began to become nervous. He walked into the kitchen, and noticed that the dishes were in the sink and that the pan was still on the oven. TK's brow furried with worry, Matt was usually pretty good about cleaning up after he cooked. TK picked the pan up to put it in the sink as well but dropped it in surprise when he felt it was still quite hot.  
  
( yeah I know what your thinking, hot? How can it still be hot. Its been like 20 30 minutes since Matt cooked those things. Well just play along with me k? ^_~)  
  
TK frowned, that would mean they were here not long ago. He began his search once more. No one in Tai's room, No one in Oni's room, No one in the Bathroom, Kitchen. TK came back to the living room. No one was here.  
  
Than he noticed Matts back pack by the computer. TK went to go to pick it up when suddenly he saw something that made his heart stop. On the back pack were too drops of red blood. Not much but still blood, and it was fresh.  
  
TK got up, his mind working with 100 things a second. Maybe his dream had come true. Maybe something bad had happen to Tai and Matt. But what? What could have happened?  
  
TK quickly went to the phone to call the bell man. "Yes sir, this is TK, Yamato Iesha's younger brother. Room 507. well I was wondering, your sure they haven't left yet. Not since last night. No its fine. No Nothing's wronge I don't think." TK lied. "Ok thank you. bye."  
  
TK put down the phone and than picked it up again to dial Kari's number. "Yes Kari hi. Have you heard from Tai lately?"  
  
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"Matt I cant see anything."  
  
"Neither can I."  
  
Matt and Tai had decided to go right after a long convoluted argument.  
  
Suddenly Tai heard a trickling sound, "Matt do you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"That trickling sound, it sounds like water."  
  
Matt was silent for a moment listening. Than he said, "Your right I do hear it."  
  
"Well than you know what water means." Tai said with a hint of excitement.  
  
"A way out!" Matt said catching on immediately.  
  
"Exactly! All we gotta do is follow it. Its bound to lead us to the out side of this cave!" Matt was silent. "Matt?"  
  
"One problem, genius." Matt said obviously unhappy. "We can hear it but in this darkness we cant see it."  
  
Tai's face fell. "Oh Right."  
  
Matt let out a deep sigh, "Well come on. Lets hurry up and find it." He knelt to his knees and began to gingerly feel around in the darkness. Tai did the same. Matt hated not being able to see. He felt so helpless. If any thing had attacked them right then they would have been defenseless.  
  
He pushed away some rocks when suddenly a bead of light shot out from under one. Matt sheilded his eyes. After being in the dark so long this bit of light stung his eyes. Tai saw the light to and quickly found his way over to Matt. "Where'd that come from?" He asked.  
  
"I dun know." Matt said honestly. "I just pushed a rock aside and it appeared." He began pushing more rocks aside and a great smile crossed his face when more light came. Tai started pushing the rocks away too.  
  
"I wonder where its coming from!" Tai exclaimed but he wasn't complaining. They now had a hole about a foot wide.  
  
"Maybe there's an underground caver-" Suddenly the rocks began to collapse around the hole. "Oh shit." Tai and Matt breathed at the same time. A small crack spread out in-between them and Matt and Tai looked up at each other in horror. The crack began to get bigger.  
  
The two started a mad dash to back petal but it was too late. The hole was collapsing in on itself! Suddenly the ground beneath them just fell out and they were falling.  
  
Matt was the first to hit the ground, but it wasn't flat. He began tumbling down the steep hill, tiny rocks flying every where. Tai was quick to follow. Matt screamed in pain, as a harp rock cut into his arm. Suddenly a large bolder came into view straight in front of them. "Ah Shit!" Matt yelled as he slammed back first in to the bolder. At least it had stopped his mad roll.  
  
He spoke to soon because just seconds later a speeding Tai came barreling into him. Matt breath was blown out of him as Tai's elbow rammed into his stomach. Tai's head was flung back into the bolder. Matt coughed furiously, trying desperately to catch his breath, unfortunately having a 150 pound Tai hit you in the stomach was not an easy thing to recover from.  
  
As the dust began to clear, and Matt began to regain focus he looked over at Tai who was slumped over his shoulder. "Tai you ok buddy?" Tai didn't answer. Matt swore when he saw the blood smeared across the rock where Tai's head had been. "God Damnit! Tai wake up!" He painfully flipped Tai over with his good arm and checked for a pulse. He was relieved when he found one.  
  
He tilted Tai's head back carefully to look at the cut on his head. There was a lot of blood but it didn't look deep thank God, but than again Tai had so much hair it was hard to tell for sure. Matt looked around desperately, trying to find something to bandage the cut with. Nothing just rocks. He sighed and went to take off his sweater when he heard a sound that made his heart stop.  
  
Debris began tumbling out from under him as the bolder began to lurch forward. It seems that Tai and Matt must have unlodged the bolder when they hit it. Matt held on to Tai desperately and prayed like he had never prayed before, "Please don't come unloose. Please don't come unloose."  
  
The bolder came unloose.  
  
And than they were falling, but not rolling. For a moment Matt wondered why this was but when he saw the cliff flying past him he put two and two together. The bolder had been on a cliff.  
  
Matt clung to Tai desperately. This was it. He was going to fall to his death. In a few moments his body would crash into the ground and SPLAT! That would be the last of Yamato Matt Iesha.  
  
Matt could tell by instinct that they were getting close to the bottom. Matt took his last breath. And thought, "Good bye TK." And than suddenly he heard a great splash of water! And than seconds later he was surrounded by it too.  
  
Matts eyes went wide as the water began to cave in around him. He was alive. He wasn't dead! But he didn't stop to think about this miracle for long, because suddenly he was under water. The currents were pulling him to the left than the right. They almost pulled Tai's body from him, but Matt held on.  
  
He was thrown this way and that until he could not even make out if he was facing up or down. He was running out of air now. He needed to get to the surface!  
  
He let his instincts do the deciding and swam with all his might, he just prayed he was going up and not down. Tai's weight was pulling him down. He was like a lead weight! But still he held on to him, determined to save him, or at least try.  
  
Bubbles exploded in his eyes and the water stung them but still he kept going. He wasn't just fighting for his life he was fighting for Tai's!  
  
He couldn't keep going for much longer. He knew it. His vision was getting blurry, his limbs heavy. And still he kept going. He had to reach the top. He had to! And than he was in air!  
  
He gulped it in greedily. But than the current sucked him under. He struggled to the surface once more, thrashing to stay a float. In his blurry vision he caught sight of land, some twenty feet away. He fought with all his might to reach it!  
  
The current tugged viciously at Tai's limp form, and Matt had to fight to hold on to him. Than suddenly by some great miracle Matt fell into a current that pushed him towards the shore. Matt swam fiercely. This might be his only chance. His limbs were so heavy. He was so tired. NO! He had to continue!  
  
He swam with his last strength towards the shore and salvation and finally his feet hit the rivers surface. He weakly wobbled threw the shallows and to the land, Tai's heavy form draped over him. He was breathing heavily, gasping for air. He was in knee high water now, just a little more! He told himself. Just a little more and than you can rest.  
  
Every step was a great effort, every breath hurt. Than finally his foot touched land! He fell to his knees having just enough energy to pull Tai up out of the water with him, fighting off the agony it caused his arm. He felt unconsciousness creep over him. NO! He shook his head violently which only made him cough. He couldn't sleep yet! He had to check if Tai was ok.  
  
He weakly turned Tai over so the water trapped in his friends mouth could pour out. Tai coughed hoarsely than was silent.  
  
Matts vision became blurry as he checked that his friend was breathing right. He was. Than Matt could not fight it any longer, and he slowly slid to one side into an exhausted sleep. In his weakened state he failed to notice a small creature peering threw the trees at him.  
  
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Light shown threw the tent flap as a young Tashon gently opened it and stepped threw. The two strangers who had been brought in last mid day were still asleep. She quietly went to the one with the head injury and remade his bandages. The cut on his head had been wide but not deep.  
  
She than went to the one with golden hair and gently lifted his arm to remake his bandages but was cut short when he let out a soft moan. She was startled at first than quickly recovered.  
  
Matt woke to a splitting head ack and fuzzy images. Where was he? What had happened? Than he remembered. "Tai!" He had meant it as a shout but it came out instead as a hoarse whisper. He tried to get up but he was immediately over come with nausea. A gentle hand pushed him back. "Rest golden one." Came a soft voice.  
  
Matt looked up groggily at a young girl perhaps three or four years younger than him. His vision was a bit blurred and so it took a moment for him to focus. His first thoughts of her was that she was pretty. Her face was fair and her eyes were kind. Gentle brown curls rolled around her face from under her hood.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked in a whisper.  
  
She smiled at him. "I would ask the same of you stranger." She leaned over and gently dabbed the sweat from his brow.  
  
"My names Yamato"  
  
The girl smiled, "My name is Tonai."  
  
"Where am I" Asked Matt in a drowsy voice. He was still so tired.  
  
"You are in the village of Tashon. We found you and your friend washed up on our shores last mid day.  
  
"My friend is he alright?-" Matt was cut short as a wave of pain washed over his head. He closed his eyes in pain. He had the worst head ack.  
  
Tonai gently put a bowl up to Matts mouth. "He is fine, now drink this. It will take some of the pain away." Matt sipped the liquid than made a face. It tasted awful. But if she said it would make him feel better.  
  
"Please where is my friend. I want to see him." Matt said after he had finished the drink. Tonai nodded her head to the left. Matt turned than saw Tai laying there. "Tai-" Matt tried to sit up to see Tai better but a sudden pain shot up his arm. He let out a sharp yelp and clutched his hurt arm.  
  
Again Tonai pushed him back. "You should not move your arm Yamato. It was hurt quite badly in your fall. You must rest now, and regain your strength for the Kamar. Do not worry, your friend is fine."  
  
"Kamar?" Matt asked in a weak voice, but Tonai did not elaborate. Even if she did Matt wouldn't have heard, an unnatural sleep was over taking him. Matt's vision became blurry and the sleep began to make his eyes heavy. The drink he thought groggily . It must have been the drink. And than his head lulled to one side and he fell into a deep healing sleep.  
  
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What's a Kamar? Can Tonai be trusted? And what's this? There's humans in the digiworld???  
  
In my defense:  
  
Yeah I know I didn't elaborate on TK's dream and I didn't put any of the other character in here and I didn't have Tai and Matt discover that there's trouble in the digiworld like I said I would, but you see if I had put all that in this one chapter it would have been like a cazzilion words! So you see I have a very good reason.  
  
Oh yes and I spell Gedi Gedi and no one can change that. so there! ::huffs::  
  
Any way here's the PREVEIW FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER:  
  
Tai and Matt are forced to go threw with this thing called the Kamar. What is the Kamar? Well you'll have to read to find out! TK and Kari call a meeting with the other digidestined and try to get in contact with Gedi but they cant, well at least not in person. You see Gedi some how knew that this whatever this is ::wink wink:: was going to happen along time ago so he did something to make sure that the other digidestined knew what was going on. Am I gonna tell you just what he did.. Nah. Not yet at least. And finally FINALLY Tai and Matt will discover that there's trouble in the digiworld. if they are in fact in the digiworld OPPS! HAVE I SAID TO MUCH!!!  
  
Lol K well Stay tuned for the next episode of DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS!  
  
::theme song comes in::  
  
sit ubu sit  
  
7-4-03 


	3. Who the hell am I?

Chapter 3!!!  
  
First of all I forgot to put a disclaimer on my last chap sorry bout that so I'll put two on this chap!!!  
  
I do not own digimon.  
  
I do not own digimon.  
  
There you happy???  
  
Ok well heres chapter three. For all you Tai fans I think this chapter will make you happy. or maybe make you want to hurt me, ::eyes reader suspiciously and prepares to make a run for it:: buUut since I'm a Yama fan at heart I couldn't help but put in more Yama too. Heh ^_^ Oh and for those of you that might be wondering, no I don't think this is going to turn out a Taiato. Sorry ::tear:: Just doesn't fit with the plan.  
  
Oh yeah and sorry if you think this chapters a bit rough. I was rushed.  
  
Ok well that's all I have to say for right now ^_^  
  
::be warned Davis bashing::  
  
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TK walked impatiently up and down the short hallway in Matt and Tai's apartment. Kari sat on the small couch watching him, her face filled with worry, not just for her brother and Matt but for TK. The dream had really scared him.  
  
Kari found herself looking at the computer. It was on that was odd. She walked over to it and was about ot turn it off when the screen savor came off. The computer was logged into the internet.  
  
Kari frowned. That's even odder. She went to turn it off again but she stopped when the buzzer rang. TK was at the buzzer in a split second. "Matt???" He said in a desperate voice.  
  
"No sorry Tk" Came the buzzer. "It's Joe. I came as fast as I could. Probably broke ten traffic laws!"  
  
TK's face fell, not even noticing the joke, "Oh right, Come up than."  
  
Kari went over and fondly rubbed his shoulders. "Its ok TK. The others will be here soon and than we'll get in contact with Gedi. He'll know what's going on."  
  
TK nodded his head than a knock came at the door. "That's Joe." TK said and quickly ran to answer the door.  
  
After twenty minutes the bulk of the digidestined were gathered in the small apartment. Everyone was well aware of the two digidestined that were absent, and so the meeting was a sober one.  
  
(Oh and some how Mimi's there too. just play along And Cody's not there cause well would you let your 16 year old son skip school so he could go to a friends house? And since I'm not particularly fond of Davis sooooo I made him get held back a year so he had to go to school so he's not there too. I'm so evil. ::grins::)  
  
"You're sure they're not just at school?" Sora asked.  
  
"We already called there." Kari said sadly. "and there parents, their friends, Matts old band members and all of you. We even called their distant relatives. No one's seen them!"  
  
"Maybe they're just out for a walk or something." Yolei suggested.  
  
TK shook his head, "At 11:30? When they're supposed to be at school? Highly unlikely."  
  
"Ok so lets review what we know." Izzy said matter of factly. " They were here relatively recently because when you," He gestured to TK "got here the pan on the stove was still hot. Right?"  
  
"Right." TK said tautly. It was obvious that he didn't want to be talking about this he wanted to be doing something about.  
  
"Ok, and we know that the bell man didn't see them leave the building since last night. Right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"There isn't some kind of back door is there?" Mimi interrupted. The group turned to Mimi in confusion, "Well you know, a door that the doormen don't watch? Maybe they could have slipped out that way."  
  
"No." TK confirmed.  
  
"Alright, well there doesn't appear to have been a struggle," Izzy went on," well except for Matts backpack being on ht ground but that's hardly anything. All the windows are locked so they couldn't have gone out threw those. And that's all we know basically."  
  
"Well than what could have happened too them?" Ken asked.  
  
TK and Kari looked at each other. "Guys?" Joe asked suspiciously catching their glance. "Do you know something?"  
  
TK solemnly went over to the Matts backpack and pointed to two red dots.  
  
"What is it?" Mimi said squirming to see better.  
  
"Blood. Fresh blood."  
  
Everyone froze for a moment. Finally Joe broke the silence, "We should call the police."  
  
TK shook his head, "I don't think this is * that * kind of situation."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.  
  
TK gave the group a knowing look. Everyone understood.  
  
"You think a digimon has something to do with this?" Ken asked in serious tones.  
  
"Tk," Sora said in a concerned voice. "Just because they're missing doesn't mean that a digimon did this. I mean there's always the possibility but we shouldn't jump to conclusions. We should call the police just in case."  
  
TK shook his head. "No, it was a digimon, or at least something that wasn't human."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"I had a dream." He said uncomfortably.  
  
The digidestined looked around with dubious looks across their faces. "A dream?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Look," TK raising his voice a bit in frustration, "don't think I'm crazy but I had this dream, Matt and Tai got attacked by this.. this black * thing. * I couldn't help them-that's why I came over here. The dream felt so real-" TK sat down on the couch and hide his face in his hands. "I just- I know something bad happened to them."  
  
Kari sat down next to him rubbing his shoulders. "TK wasn't the only one who had the dream." She said quietly.  
  
TK looked up in surprise, "You had it too?" Kari nodded. "Why didn't you tell me???"  
  
Kari smiled but gave no answer. Instead she turned towards the other digidestined. "I think. the dream was trying to tell us something. Its more than a coincidence that both me and TK had the * same * dream right before Tai and Matt disappeared. I think we have to at least be open to the idea that a digimon might be behind this all."  
  
The room was filled with a moment of silence while the digidestined tried to sort threw this new information. Finally Izzy spoke, "We should try and contact Gedi. If a digimon really * is * behind this, he'll be the one who can tell us what's going on."  
  
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Tai woke up to a splitting head ack. He would have groaned but his voice was so hoarse that no noise came out. Tai shook his head slowly trying to push away the fog that seemed to be hovering in his brain.  
  
Where was he? How had he gotten here?  
  
He opened his eyes slowly and carefully, making sure not to upset his head ack any more than it was already. He was in what looked to be a tent. He was laying on a sort of cot, with his head propped up ever so slightly. He looked to his left and found nothing there. He tilted his head forward and saw the door to the tent, nothing more than a flap of cloth, and than he tilted his head to the left. and was startled to find himself staring at a boy with golden hair.  
  
Tai cocked his head slightly, than regretted he had done that as a wave of pain ran threw him. He reached curiously up to behind his head to find that a bandage had been rapped around it. He frowned. How had that gotten there?  
  
He sat up slowly, careful not to go to fast and have his head spin than turned to look at the golden haired boy once more. He was laying down on a cot much like his own, and had a bandage rapped around his left arm. Tai was surprised to see dots of red seeping threw the bandage. The boy's cut must have been quite deep.  
  
The boy had many cuts and scratches over his body and was laying in a fitful doze. Tai frowned. Something about this boy. He felt like he should know him but he didn't. Did he?  
  
Than Tai noticed the boys clothes. They were quite odd. He wore baggy baige pants and a white shirt with buttons running down its front. Than Tai noticed he was wearing the same thing! Tai looked down at the odd buttons and fiddled with them for a moment than lost interest.  
  
Than Tai heard voices from out side the tent. He cautiously crept to the tent flap and leaned his ear to the wall so he could make the voices out.  
  
First he heard a soft voice, like that of a child's. "Please! Must you?!? They have done nothing wrong!"  
  
Than Tai heard a hard voice, "Tonai! They have trust-passed on our sacred shores! They could be spies for the Dark Lord! We * must * know how they infiltrated our defenses and who sent them!"  
  
"Please Father No! They are still too weak!" Tonai's voice cried in distress.  
  
"The golden haired one woke last mid day, he is strong enough for the Kamar. When the other wakes," Tai gulped nervously, realizing he was the * other *. The hard voice continued, "When the other wakes, he will go threw the Kamar as well. If they are not strong enough than it is of they're own fault." The voice finished with an emotional slur of words at the end.  
  
Tai heard heavy foot steps coming towards him. Not trusting their kindness, he back petted hurriedly to his cot and carefully arranged himself in the position he had woken up in. Mere seconds after he had done this he heard the tent flap fly open. Tai had to mentally force himself not to flinch in fear. What was going on???  
  
He heard the sound of clanking armor march across the room than sensed that it stopped to his right. by the golden haired boy. Tai hearded the hard voice again, so close to him that he almost shivered but forced him self not to at the last moment. "Tonai! Wake him up."  
  
The soft voice, Tonai, answered with sad obedience, "Yes father."  
  
Tai heard cloth ruffling and than the sound of liquid being poured into a bowl. After a few moments he heard coughing, the boy he guessed. After a few second Tai heard the boy give a slurred mumble, he couldn't catch what he said. Than Tonai shushed him whispering, "Be quite now Yamato. It is time for the Kamar."  
  
The boy didn't heed her warning. "Wha-Kamar? Whas-"  
  
"SILENCE!" The hard voice boomed and Tai heard a loud slap resound around the room followed by the boy giving a slight yelp of pain.  
  
"Father!" He heard Tonai yell, than the sounds of a scuffle were heard.  
  
"You be quite too Tonai. I am only doing this for our peoples sake!" Than Tai heard the sounds of struggle and something being dragged away. Slowly the sound of armor receded until Tai could not hear it any longer.  
  
Than he heard the sound of crying. Tonai. He felt sorry for her, wanting to go to her and comfort her, but he remembered just in time that he was supposed to be asleep and so he just lay where he was. After a few moments, he heard her compose herself and get up off the floor and leave.  
  
Tai waited for a moment to make sure that she was gone and than cautiously opened his eyes. He looked to where the boy had been. He was gone.  
  
Tai took a big gulp. What the hell was happening? Who was that boy? Who was that girl? Who was he?  
  
.He couldn't remember.  
  
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Matt struggled with the two armed men who were holding him, but they were to strong. What was happening??? All he knew was that when Tonai had woken him up he was not exactly a welcomed guest!  
  
His cheek hurt from where the large man had hit him. Matt guess that the 'large man' was the leader judging by how everyone cleared away from his path.  
  
Matt was being dragged threw a village. The sun was bright and there were trees. Trees? Matt thought. I thought I was in a cave. The people of the village wouldn't make eye contact with Matt they just turned their heads the other way, almost in fright. Some young boys would spit at him but they would quickly be pulled back by their mothers.  
  
Matt looked around furiously for Tonai. He had lost sight of her once they had taken him out of the tent. Finally he decided that enough was enough, he needed some answers!  
  
He turned his head towards the 'large man' and said angrily, "Where are you taking me?"  
  
The man stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around. That was the first time he had gotten a good look of the man, because when he had first woken up in the tent his vision was still blurry from whatever Tonai had given him before. The man growled and his face twisted in an angry shape, "HOW * DARE * YOU SPEAK TO ME!"  
  
Matt's eyes bulged as the man gave him a swift upper cut into his stomach. "* That * will teach you your place * spy *."  
  
Matt coughed weakly trying desperately to catch back his breath. 'Spy???' he thought but was smart enough not to inquire further.  
  
Suddenly a great wooden fortress that seemed to rise up from the ground came into view. The two men pushed him forward threw the door. Matt had a sinking feeling about this.  
  
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Yes Yes Yes Its true! I gave Tai amnesia!!! ::laughs evilly:: Oh I luv being evil like this! Any way.  
  
Will Tai regain his memory? Whats gonna to happen to Matt? And what the huh? Trees in a cave???  
  
Find out in the next exciting episode of!!! DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS!  
  
PREVEIW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!  
  
Matt is forced to do this Kamar thing and uh. he gets a weeeee bit hurt. Meanwhile Tai does some spying in the village and meets someone that might be able to help him free Matt! TK and the others try to get in touch with Gedi but find something odd instead that gives them some long awaited answers to some very important questions. .. am I being vauge?  
  
Oh and I know I haven't been going by the Previews but. uh. NO ONES PERFECT! I try to go with them as best as possible but you must understand I right the previews before I right the chapter so there's bound to be some changes. ::sweat drops::  
  
K well That's all Folks!!!  
  
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::theme song comes in::  
  
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Sit ubu Sit  
  
7-5-03 (My bros b-day tomorrow he's gonna be 13 ^_^) 


	4. Answering the Questions not AN

Chapter 4!!!  
  
Ok woah this was a hard chapter to write! I don't know why it just was..  
  
WARNING!!! This chapter has some Yama torture in it. If your sick and like that sorta stuff well than you'll be happy. If your not well than. tough nuggums Don't worry all things considered its not * that * bad.  
  
I don't own Digimon blah blah blah K ON WITH THE FIC!  
  
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Matt tried to pull away from the two men as they chained him to the wall but it was no use. They were just to strong. and Matt was so tired. Matt shook his head violently trying to make the weak feeling go away. Tonai's drink, he thought with displeasure.  
  
After making sure Matt was securely fastened to the wall the two men receded into the shadows of the dark room, but Matt knew better than to think that they were gone. Just because he couldn't see them didn't mean they weren't there.  
  
The 'large man' came up into Matts eye sight. Matt weakly straightened himself, he wasn't about to show this guy that he was weak, though he could probably have guessed it anyway.  
  
To Matts anger them man laughed heartily, "You fight the Cantmon blood? Heh." He snorted. "Not for long."  
  
"Cantmon wha?" Matt asked slowly, his words a bit slurred.  
  
The man eyed Matt suspiciously. "You do not know what Cantmon Blood is???"  
  
Matt gave a small huff of air, "Lets just say where I come from they don't exactly have Cantmon." Matt stopped to take a breath than continued, "Mind filling me in?"  
  
The man looked at Matt for along moment as if contemplating his worth, "Very well." He said, than began to walk an intimating circle around Matt. " It makes you weak, unable to distinguish between what is real and what is not. It boils your blood, turns your veins to fire." The man came to a stop by Matts left ear. "If you tell us what we want to know, than I'll give you the antidote."  
  
Matt turned his head to look into the mans eyes, "And if I don't?"  
  
The man laughed, "Oh you will."  
  
Matt shook his head again as the man suddenly split in half to form two men, then centered back on himself and was one man once more. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow. Why was it so hot in here? "Oh you will." The man repeated.  
  
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"Anything?"  
  
Izzy shock his head, no email from Gedi.  
  
The group hung their heads.  
  
"Maybe Gedi doesn't know they're missing yet." Mimi offered.  
  
"That would be bad." TK said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.  
  
"TK," Sora said accusingly, "Mimi's only trying to help."  
  
TK sighed, "I know. Sorry Mimi."  
  
She nodded her head in understanding, "Its ok TK. I understand."  
  
"So. What do we do now?" Joe asked softly.  
  
"Well we go to the digiworld I guess." Izzy said. "Try to find Gedi. If Mimi's right and he * doesn't * know that Tai and Matt are missing, finding him might be the only way."  
  
"Alright," Sora said slowly, "But some of us have to stay here just in case Tai and Matt come back on they're own."  
  
"Agreed," Izzy said nodding his head.  
  
"So whose going?" Kari asked.  
  
"I am." TK said stepping forward immediately.  
  
"Are you sure TK?" Sora asked.  
  
TK shook his head vigorously, "He's * my * brother."  
  
"If TK's going I am too." Kari said stepping forward to stand next to TK.  
  
"I'll go too." Izzy said. The group looked at him in surprise. He shrugged his shoulders. "You'll need my help in locating Gedi." TK nodded.  
  
"Me three," Mimi piped in.  
  
"Mimi actually you would be four-oh well I want to come too," Joe said, "If we find them and they're hurt I can help."  
  
"Alright" Izzy said. He turned back around towards the computer screen, "Lets get going then."  
  
He began typing and in a few moments the digi-login screen showed itself across the screen. Taking their que TK, Kari, Mimi and Joe all gathered around Izzy waiting to be transported.  
  
Instead of being transported a funny little telephone busy sound came threw the computers speakers. Everyone stared dumbfounded at the screen. Than a recording of a feminine voice came threw the speakers. "We're sorry, but the Point of Transportation you have requested is temporarily out of commission. Please try again Later, and have a nice day." Elevator music began to play in the back ground.  
  
After a few moments of silence Joe gave a slight sweatdrop saying, "Izzy. I don't think that's what's supposed to happen."  
  
Izzy gave him a 'gee really?' look. "I know that!" He cried in frustration, and began to type furiously on the key board. After a few moments Izzy sat back and took a slight breath. "Ok lets try this again."  
  
Busy Signal.  
  
"We're sorry, but the Point of Transportation you have requested is temporarily out of commission. Please try again Later, and have a nice day."  
  
Elevator Music.  
  
Izzy's left eye began to twitch in frustration.  
  
"This isn't good." Mimi said stating the obvious.  
  
Izzy was in the process of trying for a third time when all of the sudden a cute little animated Gedi popped up on the screen.  
  
"Quick Click it!" Ken said.  
  
Izzy quickly did and suddenly the screen filled with text.  
  
"It's a letter," Izzy said a bit confused, "From Gedi!"  
  
The group eyes widened. "What's it say???" Mimi asked  
  
Izzy Read it aloud. "It says:  
  
Hey Kids!  
  
Let me guess, the digi-destined of Courage and Friendship are missing right? And your wondering where they are. Well I can't tell you that but I * can * tell you that they're still alive and kicking." Sora let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"You probably want some answers, well don't we all!" Joe smiled, 'that's our Gedi' he thought. "But seriously kids, here's what I know. A very bad being that was supposed to be dead has been resurrected. To make a long story short, he 'tampered' with the gates of the digiworld and another world called Kanack, and now they're merging. well by the time you read this the merge will have already taken place.  
  
"You probably tried to login to the digiworld by now and you've discovered you cant. Don't you like the elevator music though? I think its quite catchy! But anyway the reason why you cant login is that the digiworld doesn't exist anymore, it merged with the other world, creating a new world. Don't worry your digimon are fine, I made sure of that." The group let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"So what does this have to do with Matt and Tai missing? Well you see they're in this new world as we speak.. or rather write. or well I'm writing, your reading-YOU GET THE POINT! Any way they have been sent there because well-its complicated. Any way I'll download the prophecy that should explain it all to you guys.  
  
"Talk to you soon!  
  
~Gedi." Izzy finished.  
  
The group looked at each other, with confusion clearly etched in their faces. No more digiworld? Kanack? New world? Huh???  
  
Suddenly a downloading icon came on to the screen. "It must be the prophesy Gedi was talking about." Izzy said.  
  
It took a few second for it to load and when it had Izzy read it aloud just as he had with the letter.  
  
" Two beings will mix with the data,  
  
Enabling a transfer of worlds,  
  
The two lost warriors will wonder a new plain,  
  
Where Mon and Man coexist,  
  
Mastering their elements is the only way to live,  
  
Weary they must be of the darkness's following,  
  
For it has grown in the collision of worlds,  
  
Many sorrows they must face,  
  
Before the last battle,  
  
But its end is undecided.  
  
If both hearts be true, and their power they have mastered,  
  
Than the day brings light.  
  
But if the warriors hearts are cold,  
  
Forever it be night."  
  
Izzy stopped reading. "Is that it?" Asked Kari.  
  
"No," Izzy said a hint of confusion edging on his voice. "There's something else but its too fuzzy to make out."  
  
TK threw up his arms in frustration and mimicked Gedi's words, "'It'll explain * everything *.' Yeah right I'm even more confused!"  
  
(Yes I know its not the * exact * thing Gedi said but I thought it sounded better this way)  
  
"Well wait TK," Izzy said, "Maybe its not as confusing as we think."  
  
"What do you mean?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Well ok," Izzy said settling into his resident 'genus' seat. "If Tai and Matt are the two warriors, and the 'new plain' is this new world Gedi was talking about than that would mean that-"  
  
"Matt and Tai are fighting the Darkness." Sora continued.  
  
"Right, so than if you read it like that it makes sense." Izzy concluded.  
  
"Wait a minute," Joe said waving his hands for emphasis. " So let me get this straight. Matt and Tai are fighting this . 'darkness' and in the last battle if they're good they win if they're bad they don't? Does this sound too easy to any of you?"  
  
Izzy tapped the blurry part of the screen, the part he hadn't been able to decipher. "I have a sinking feeling that the 'hard parts' in here."  
  
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A voice echoed out threw the blurs of shapes, "What's your name?"  
  
Matt fought to keep hold of reality. "I'd ask you the," He stopped to gasp for air, "Same thing."  
  
"Remember your place. Now what is your name."  
  
"You tell me yours first." Matt spoke to the blurs in front of him, sweat dripping down his face.  
  
Un amused laughter resounded threw out his head. "You may call me Excellency Boran." Suddenly a shape that resembled a hand shot from seemingly no where and yanked Matts head back so that he was staring into two piercing orbs. Eyes? Or endless pits? Matt couldn't tell. The voice spoke harshly, "I am not the one being questioned. Remember that."  
  
The hand thrust Matts head back down. "What is your name!"  
  
Heat burned on Matts face. He looked around desperately as the world began to tilt to one side than the other. Suddenly the voice came back and Matt found it hard not to wither from its loudness. "What is your name!"  
  
The world became dizzy and voices began chanting the question in Matts ear. "Yamato," He whispered, not being able to stand the chanting any longer.  
  
"Good," The voice said in satisfaction, but the chanting did not stop. Instead the voice screamed another question, "Who sent you here."  
  
Matt groaned. His head hurt so much. The voice was so loud. "WHO SENT YOU!"  
  
"No one." Whispered.  
  
"What?" The voice yelled accusingly.  
  
"No one!" Matt said a bit louder. A sharp pain ran up Matts side sending threads of fire thru his veins.  
  
"You lie." The voice said scornfully. "Who sent you!"  
  
Matt shook his head, trying to hide from the voice. "No one sent me."  
  
"So you came on your own?"  
  
"No. I don't know," Matt cringed as his veins seemed to turn to fire. It was so hot. "I don't know how I got here." He managed to breath out.  
  
"Explain!"  
  
" I was in my apartment," Matt gasped for breath, "Than I was in a cave." He withered away from the voice, and his voice broke with out his knowing. "Please I don't know."  
  
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It had been about three hours to Tai's reasoning when they had brought the golden haired boy back. When Tai had heard the heavy foot steps of armor he had quickly gone back to his cot.  
  
He watched threw the slits of his eye as they carried him in, not so gently, and flung him to the ground. The boy made no move to get up, only let out a soft moan from where he lay.  
  
Tai felt a great pain in his heart at seeing the boy in such a state, but he didn't know why. As far as he knew, he didn't even know the boy.  
  
Suddenly Tai heard the hard voice from before, "Let me know when the other one wakes."  
  
The armored foot steps went away soon after. As soon as he knew for sure that the coast was clear, Tai sprang up from his cot and ran to the boy. He gasped as he pulled the boy over on to his back. His golden hair was matted with red, and the odd shirt with the row of buttons was torn in several places. Sweat and blood mingled on the boys face in a painful mixture.  
  
Just than the boy's eyes fluttered open for a brief moment. He looked weakly up than whispered in a hoarse voice, barley audible, "Tai." Than his eye lids grew to heavy to hold and he slipped into an exhausted sleep.  
  
"Tai." Tai repeated rolling the words over on his tongue, than slowly, careful not to upset the hurt boy any further, he laid the boy back on his cot. He than heard soft foot steps coming towards the tent. He shivered as he crawled back into his sleeping position. He didn't want to be caught awake because he knew. If he was caught. whatever had happened to the boy. would happen to him.  
  
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::eyes are all sleepy:: so tired. Took forever to write!  
  
Anyway :yawns: Sorry bout that bit of yama torture there. Ugh I'm so tired right now I cant write a Preview to the next chapter. Sorry guys but I need some sleep. ::yawns:: Just ponder the possibilities in yer head how bout that. ::curls up in a blanket:: ok night night  
  
7-5-03 


	5. So there you are Gedi!

Chapter 5!!! Already!!!  
  
::NOTE TO THE READER!!!::  
  
Ok some of you might be wounderin' bout the whole time difference between the real world and this new world Matt and Tai seem to be in. Well ok heres how I see it. Because the digiworld and this other world are still in the process of sorting things out with the whole merge thing, the time difference still hasent worked itself out as well. Its iratic still. So that's my figuring.  
  
Anyhoo!  
  
Man I don't think I've written so much in three days in well.. EVER! This chapters really short I warn you I think its something like just over a thousand words. Not much but I wanted to make sure Matt was alright after the last chapter. Lol I know sounds stupid but I don't know where this will go so as I write this its like I'm reading it and yeah.. that make any sense? Oh well!  
  
Any way this chapters real short, and heres the disclaimer so I don't get sued  
  
I, Reion, of north California, do not, and have not at any time, owned Digimon. The end.  
  
ON WITH THE FIC!  
  
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Blurry pictures flashed before his eyes. Tai tried to catch them but they were too quick. They'd slip threw his fingers at the last moment.  
  
Sometimes Tai felt like he could just make out a face. It was a girl, maybe eight or nine. But the face was still fuzzy. She would say something to him, but he wouldn't be able to catch it, than the image would be gone.  
  
Tai opened his eyes to the tent. His head hurt. He tried to grasp the image of the girl. But it eluded him. He was about to roll over to check on the golden haired boy, when he became aware of a presence next to him.  
  
He slowly rolled his eyes over to see who it was, careful not to give away that he was awake. It was Tonai.  
  
She was bandaging up the boy. Tai tried to remember what Tonai had called him.. was it Yamato? Than he realized the boy was awake.  
  
"I am so sorry Yamato!" Tonai was crying. "My father is a good man. I promise you he is! He was only doing it for the sake of his people!"  
  
The boy gave a grimsen of a smile, "I know Tonai, but-"he stopped to give a slight cough, "but your father almost killed me. I don't know if I can take much more of that Kamar thing."  
  
"Just answer his questions Yamato and he will stop."  
  
Yamato shook his head, "You don't understand, I tried to explain, but my story is.." he gave a weak laugh, "A bit out of the ordinary. Because of that he thought I was lying. How can I answer the questions, when he wont listen."  
  
Suddenly trumpets were heard from a distance. Tonai looked up, tensing a bit.  
  
"What is it?" Yamato asked looking towards the sound.  
  
Tonai gave a sad look than turned back to Yamato, quickly packing up her things. "My father is summoning the village to a council. That's when he will state his decision to the elders."  
  
"Decision?" Yamato asked with confusion in his voice.  
  
"The decision on weither or not you speak the truth." She said matter of factly. "I must leave you now." Than she hurried out of the room.  
  
"Tonai! Wait!" Yamato said trying weakly to sit up but failing miserably. It was too late. She was already gone. It was than that Yamato saw that Tai's eyes were open.  
  
"Tai?" He said with a mixture of relief and confusion.  
  
Tai nodded. "What's going on?"  
  
Yamato shook his head. "I don't know for sure myself." He carefully propped himself back up. "Apparently they think we're 'spies'." He said dubiously. "So now they're holding a council meeting .. thing to make a decision on weither we can be trusted or not." He rubbed his eyes tiredly and gave a slight groan. "Man I could SO use a beer right now!"  
  
"Beer?"  
  
"Yeah beer, you know Budwiezer, Heinikin.."  
  
Tai eyed the boy named Yamato in confusion. Did he know him? Yamato seemed to know him. (meaning Tai) Tai set his mind on getting some answers. "Do I know you?"  
  
Yamato cocked his head at Tai. "What'd you mean 'do I know you?' You have amnesia or something?" Tai was silent. Yamato sat up straight as an arrow. "Man you better not be joking me."  
  
Tai frowned. "I'm not joking."  
  
It was than that Yamato caught sight of the thick bandage wound around Tai's head. "Ah Shit!" he said, "It must have been when you hit your head. Damn it this is just my luck!" Than Yamato's face turned very serious and he looked Tai right in the eye.  
  
"You sure you don't remember anything?"  
  
Tai shook his head, nothing.  
  
"Does Kari ring a bell?" Yamato said.  
  
Tai thought about it for a moment. The name seemed to be familiar but he couldn't draw a face. He shook his head, no.  
  
"How 'bout Agumon? Sora? TK? Izzy???"  
  
Nothing. Tai shook his head. "I'm sorry."  
  
Yamato flopped back down covering his face with his hands. "Great. Just Great. I'm stuck God knows where, waiting while the 'council'," he said making quotations with his fingers as he said the word council, "decides weither I'm a spy or not and now Tai's got amnesia! My life is SO good right now!"  
  
For a moment they sat in silence until suddenly Yamato sat straight up screaming, "Gedi! This would be a good time to pop in right now!!!"  
  
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Gedi's head cocked as he heard Matt's cry. He sighed in depression, feeling useless. He couldn't go to the boy. He was cut off from the world himself! He looked down the rows of eight tubes, in each one floating a Digimon. The digidestined's Digimon to be precise.  
  
Gedi's body quivered in and out of solid form. He clenched his teeth trying to fight the merge. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight it off for much longer. Eventually he would have to go into the tubes as well. But until then he planned to fight it as best he could.  
  
In the final battle Courage and Friendship would need his help. And in order to help them he needed to conserve his energy. He looked once more at the eight digidestined Digimon, and recalled the last moments of the digiworld.  
  
~~Flash back~~ ::shimmer shimmer::  
  
Ruble began crumbling down into the entrance of the cave. "Come on guys!" Gedi yelled. "We don't have much time!"  
  
The eight Digimon hurried into the small cave and Gedi slammed down the shield just before a crack in the digi crust would have ripped the cave apart. Gedi desperately punched the button that would close the door but the door made no move to close. "Agumon! Gabumon! Help me!" He screamed.  
  
With the help of the two Digimon he was able to force the door closed manually. Just than a great explosion racked over the shields surface. "Quick get into the suspension tubes!" Gedi yelled. The Digimon were quick to comply. Patamon was the last one in the tube. As he got in he looked up and asked innocently, "Gedi aren't you going into suspension too?"  
  
Gedi reached out to ruffle Patamon's head, "once my work is done yes. Now hurry! Get in before the merge is complete!" Patamon nodded and gave a slight 'thank you'. Then the door to the suspension tube slowly closed.  
  
Gedi stood alone. The shields would protect him.. but for how long he did not know.  
  
~~end of Flashback~~ ::shimmer shimmer::  
  
Again the merge threatened to tare him apart. He forced it to subside. He had to hold on. For just a little longer. Just a little longer..  
  
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Told yah it was short! But I hope this helped calm some of your worries bout Yama dieing er sumpthin' like that. Any hoo..  
  
What will the council decide? Will Gedi be able to keep his solid form long enough to help Yama and Tai?  
  
Find out in the next exciting episode of DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS!  
  
Sit ubu Sit!  
  
7-6-03 


	6. When betrayals are needed to save a peop...

CHAPTER 6!!! ::sings pick up sticks.. O_O oh the camera's rolling!::  
  
::clears throat and says O' so eloquently::  
  
ummmmmmmmm. . .  
  
OH YEAH! I remember now!  
  
Ok yeah so this chapter I think skipped around a bit but I had a major writers block so try not to hold it against me! Grrrrr, it was * really * frustrating! I actually wrote everything in lil' chunks and at the end I pieced 'um all together from there. Ack! F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G!!! Wow! that's a really long word when you spell it out like that! Any who. ^_^ Hopefully it all worked out in the end. . .  
  
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His Excellency Boran, stood before the gathering crowd of Tashon citizens. They were churning with excitement and anticipation of the council to come. Boran let a small frown cross his lips as he thought of the reason for this council. The strangers, specifically the one named Yamato. Borans thoughts were drawn into memory. . .  
  
~Flashback~ ::flash!::  
  
Boran stood over the young man named Yamato, whose form was slumped in his bonds. He was weak, the Cantamon blood had worked well, but still the boy resisted. Boran grew anger, "What do you know about the Dark Lord?"  
  
Yamato shook his head, "I already told you," he mumbled, to weak to pronounce his words correctly. It was taking everything he had just to say them, "I don't know who his is."  
  
Boran grabbed Yamato by the neck forcing him to look into his eyes, "You lie again boy."  
  
Yamato's eyes turned stormy, "No. I. Don't." He said threw clenched teeth. Sweat fell from his face and splashed on Borans wrist. It was than that Boran saw a flicker in the boys eyes. At first he thought he had imagined it, because it had come and gone so quickly, but than it came again. A flash of gold light just at the edge of his eyes.  
  
Boran let go of Yamato in fright, and the boy slumped forward with a slight groan and went unconscious. Suddenly, a weak light blue light sprang from his forehead in the form of an odd symbol. Boran cautiously reached out and tilted the boys head back so that he could see the symbol better.  
  
The symbol appeared to be a circle with a jagged slash threw it and two sweeps of blue coming from the sides. (The symbol of friendship just incase my description was unclear.)  
  
Boran slowly stepped away form the boy. The light felt warm, but he would not let this fool him. Only demons could do such a thing as have light flow from their foreheads. . .only demons. . .  
  
~end of Flashback~ ::flash!::  
  
Boran drew his mind out of the memory. It was best not to dwell on such things just yet. He turned his head back to the ceremony, the elders were about to enter. The noisy crowd suddenly fell silent as two horn blowers appeared at the stage. They sounded the horns twice than fell back. From behind a screen thus positioned nine robed figures slowly made their way to their respective seats on top the stage.  
  
After a moment of silence, the lead elder spook. "Why have you summoned us!"  
  
Boran stepped forwards, ready to tell all present of the two demons that have entered their midst's.  
  
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` Meanwhile, back in the tent, Matt was trying to explain to Tai who he (Tai) was in the hopes that it might help trigger his memory.  
  
". . . And so Gabumon and Agumon Warp digivolved and we--" Suddenly armor was heard from out side the tent. Matt's eyes widened, "Quick! They don't know your awake yet!"  
  
Tai nodded and quickly laid back into position. It had become second nature to him now. Matt sat back into his cot trying to look unsuspicious. The guards burst in and one, the taller of the two, spoke in a commanding voice. "One known as Yamato! Your presence has been requested by the elders! You are to come with us."  
  
The second guard bent down and hauled Yamato up, *ever * so gently. Matt purposefully sagged in his grip. If they were going to take him, he defiantly wasn't going to make it easy for them. When they had left Tai sat up, the beginnings of a plan brewing in his head.  
  
He had to go help Yamato-or Matt as the boy had told him to call him. Tai smiled at the name. It sounded better than Yamato.. it sounded more familiar, like he had used it many times before. Tai's head began to hurt and he brushed the thought aside. Concentrate on getting out of here. Tai thought.  
  
Tai went to the side of the tent moving his hands along where tent met ground. He cursed. It was held down tightly. They obviously didn't want him getting out. Just in case he felt around the rest of the tent and was rewarded when his finger punched threw to the outside. The hole was small. No bigger than two fingers width round, but it was something to work with.  
  
Tai pulled slightly at the hole. It nudged a bit wider. Tai smiled in satisfaction. This was their ticket out of here.  
  
Tai crept back into his cot. At night time he would make his escape.. .  
  
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` ( A very long A/N that should answer some of your questions:  
  
Oh and sorry that its kinda stuck in the middle of the chapter like this. It just sorta happened like that. ::shrugs::  
  
OK well, I think I forgot to mention in this that the door/flap * thing * to the tent * is * being guarded. That should clear up the whole, 'why don't they just walk out the front door' question some of you might be asking. The fact is if they did that, they'd probably get a couple wallops on the head. Joy. Joy. That would be fun! Heh, sorry, I'm in my sarcastic mood. ^_^  
  
Any who, you'd have to figure that Tai's smart enough to say, 'well you know what I don't want those two wallops', and that's why he's looking for the alternative ways of escape. Another question that might have arisen, if the door's being watched don't you think the guards would have over heard Tai and Matt talking by now? Ummm. . . well for reasons such as I didn't want Tai and Matt to get caught just yet, lets just say the guards posted were deaf or something like that. No offense meant.  
  
One last thing. Food. I was thinking about this today and I realized I haven't had Matt and Tai eat anything through this whole ordeal-well 'sept those eggs but that was in the very beginning so it sorta doesn't count. SoOo anyway, I'm going to try and be better 'bout that from now one but as far as the past chapters go just assume that Tonai * has * been giving them food.  
  
Opps, wait I have another 'one last thing', ::sweatdrops:: to recap on how long Matt and Tai have been in the Tashon village. . . I'd say roughly three, possibly four days. Ok well I hope that clears up some of the confusion and once again I apologize that this had to be stuck in here like this. Okie Dokie That's all I had to say. ^_^)  
  
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Matt was roughly dragged threw the frightened crowd. Again, the people would not make eye contact with him. He looked to where the two guards were taking him but could not see over the heads of the crowd. Suddenly they pushed threw the crowd and he was confronted with a grand stage.  
  
On top the stage stood nine chairs, royally built, and upon those nine chairs sat nine hooded figures, hunched over and grey. He could not make out their face. The guards forcefully led him up a set of stairs and he found himself on the stage facing the crowd. The guards backed away ever so slightly. They had bound Matt's hands behind his back on the way here, they knew he couldn't get away. Matt knew it too.  
  
Matt let out a slight sigh of anger, 'what now?'  
  
Than he noticed the large man, the one who, Matt realized with displeasure, had tortured him, was on the stage as well. He groaned inwardly. Tonai was at his side. One of the hooded figures stood and spoke, "One who is known as Yamato! You have been accused of trespassing on our sacred shores, and infiltrating our cities defenses. We have reason to suspect you and your friend of being spies for the Dark Lord. What be it you say in defense?"  
  
Matt took a short breath, than replied. "I'm not a spy for the 'Dark Lord.' Neither is my friend. I don't even know who the 'Dark Lord' is!" This brought a few gasps. Matt continued. "Yes we trespassed on the 'sacred shores' but it wasn't on purpose! We got lost in these caves, and than there was a cave in. We fell threw the cave into the river. It was never our intention to even come here! It was all just a mistake!"  
  
"What were you doing in the caves?" Boran questioned, coming up behind Matt.  
  
Matt let out an exasperated breath, "Trying to find a way out."  
  
"How did you get there in the first place?"  
  
"We don't know." Matt said honestly. "One minute me and Tai are in our house, the next we're in the caves. We don't know how we got there." The crowd burst with noise.  
  
The lead elder sat back in his seat tenderly, than said, "His Excellency Boran, speaks of you as a demon. He said your forehead shown with a demon light." Matt looked confused.  
  
Boran stepped forward, he had no reason to repeat his story however, since the crowd had already heard it and so he just spoke his mind. "The strangers are spies, they are evil beings! And this one," he pointed an accusing finger at Matt, "His eyes are filled with a demons soul. Who else could he serve than, but the Dark Lord himself!?!"  
  
Matts eyes grew wide, "I already told you don't serve the Dark Lord!"  
  
Boran whirled around on the stage and came within breathing distance of Matt. Matt was tempted to step back a step to get away, but he forced himself to stand strong. "And how can we believe you? HUH? By your * word *?" Boran spit at Matt's feet. "The Dark Lord's servants are no better than himself!" He turned back to the crowded.  
  
"They burned and plundered our lands! The lands of our ancestors! They destroyed our ancient temples, killed our mothers and children! They * destroyed * our world! How? Because we let them!" The crowd was an uncomfortable silence, remembering. "Citizens of Tashon! You remember the day they came to our village? How they said they were * peaceful *. And we believed their * words *.  
  
"Let us * not * make the same mistake again! Let us not let even * one * demon live! Citizens of Tashon! Have we not learned to be weary of strangers words?" The crowd cried in anger. Tonai shivered at how quickly they learned to hate.  
  
The sweat of panic dripped down Matt's face, "Please! Listen to me! If you let me and my friend go we'll help fight this Dark Lord! We can help you! Please just let us-"  
  
Boran stuck his face within breaths distance from Matt's and said coldly, "Your words are worthless to us."  
  
The crowd exploded in excitement, fear, panic, sadness, anger, hatred-  
  
The lead elder stood up sharply from his seat and raised one hand above his head. The crowd was silent in an instant. He spook, and everyone listened, "We have heard everything we need to hear! We will fall back to our chambers to make our decision, and in one hours time we will return tell the strangers fates."  
  
With that, the elders got up and went back behind the screen. The moment the last elder was out of sight the crowd exploded in excitement once more. Boran walked smugly passed Matt stopping only to say, "Enjoy your last hours demon." Than continued on off the stage and out of sight.  
  
Matt gave a scowl. He was beginning to hate that man with a passion.  
  
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Back in the cave, Gedi's head fell, things were not looking good. Not looking good at all. . .  
  
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Matt stood in the hot sun, sweat beading his brow, it had been about an hour now. He licked his chapped lips, man was he thirsty. Suddenly a bowl of water was lifted to his mouth. He looked to see who had given it to him and saw it was Tonai. "Tonai!"  
  
She nodded and let Matt drink from the bowl. Matt was going to ask jokingly if there was anything in * this * drink like there had been in the others but his thirst won out. He drank greedily. When his thirst was quenched, he looked up and said, "Thank you."  
  
She nodded than began dabbing the sweat from his brow, as she leaned in she whispered, "Can you really help my people?" She looked directly into his eyes.  
  
Matt nodded, a bit surprised, than answered truthfully, "I think that's why we were sent here." Tonai was about to say something more when the horns began to be blown again. Tonai quickly ducked her head and stepped away.  
  
The elders came out once more, and Matt stood up a bit more, hoping for good news. The lead elder spook, he seemed to be the spooks person. "We have made our decision. We find His Excellency Boran's speech to have been very persuasive and therefore we have found the one known as Yamato, unreliable in his words."  
  
Matt looked angrily at Boran who he swore was snickering right than, "* However *," Matt let out a deep breath, however, however was a good thing right? "We do not find Yamato's manner to be that of a demon or a servant of the Dark Lord.  
  
"And so it is in this way, that we have decided that Yamato's soul will undergo the ceremony of Chyi. Should his heart be pure, than he will be set free, should his heart be evil, than to the hells of Sockar (1) he will go." The crowd burst into speech all at once. Yamato just closed his eyes sadly. Great, just great. The elder continued and the crowd was silent.  
  
"We do not, however see it fit to make a decision on the one known as Tai's behalf, since he may not be of the same circumstances of his companion. When he wakes, a separate council will be held. Yamato will undergo the ceremony of Chyi at early night this day." With that, the elders left once more.  
  
The two guards forcefully took Yamato off the stage, "No," he screamed, "Damn it! Your making a mistake! I can help you people! Just let me-" A guard slapped him across the face and Yamato was quite. They than led him threw the crowd and to the sacred grounds.  
  
Tonai stood with her father on the stage. Boran let out a slight snort and a large grin passed his face. "He is given what he rightfully deserves." Boran than turned and left Tonai standing alone. She watched Yamato's receding figure with uncertainty. He said he could help. . .  
  
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Tai silently paced the tent back and forth. It was night time, and still they had not brought the boy named Matt back. Tai was beginning to worry. This surprised him. When had he grown to care about the boy so much. (No you sickos not in that way! ::scowls::)  
  
Tai then realized that this only confirmed Matt's story that they had known each other before.. . before what? Matt had never told him. The guards had come and taken him before he could finish explaining. The thought made Tai frustrated. He couldn't even remember how he had gotten here!  
  
He sighed and his thoughts drifted back to worries for his.. friend? Tai was unsure. He felt a deep bond with the boy but.. could he trust him? What if the boy was lying? Then again, what if he was telling the truth?  
  
Tai gave a sigh. Well, whatever Matt was he seemed to be the only one who could tell him who he (Tai) was. Tai began pacing once more in anxiety. Matt had been gone for several hours, much longer than the times they had taken him before. Tai had hoped to escape with the boy, but as the precious minutes dragged on, the boys return, became less and less likely.  
  
Suddenly, the door to the tent flapped open. Tai jumped into the shadows in surprise. He hadn't heard any one approach! The figure moved to his cot and felt around as if looking for something. Him. (Tai) Tai guessed.  
  
The figure looked around in confusion and that's when Tai, who had silently come around behind the figure, grabbed hold of them, covering their mouth so they could not make any noise. The figure gave a surprised mumble mixed with fear thru his strong hands.  
  
Tai shushed them in a desperate attempt to shut them up. Moon light, filtered thru the tent and briefly touched upon the figures face. Tonai. Terror was written across her face. Tai felt instantly sorry.  
  
"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you." He tried to comfort her. "I only want to know where my friend is." Tai didn't even notice that he had said friend. "Now I'm going to let go of your mouth, but I don't want you to scream." As soon as he did so she let out a scream-of course.  
  
Tai cussed quietly under his breath and covered her mouth again. "I * told * you don't scream! I'm not going to hurt you if you just tell me where they've brought Yamato. Please! I promise I wont hurt you."  
  
She looked at him in fright, as if judging the worth of his promise. Than it seemed she came to the conclusion that he was telling the truth.  
  
He slowly, cautiously, lowered his hand. She only mumbled in fear. "Where's Yamato?" He asked as kindly as possible, given the circumstances.  
  
After a long moment she said in a weak voice, "They, they took him to the ceremonial grounds," She shivered in fear than continued, "To purify his soul." Some how that didn't sound too 'good' to Tai.  
  
"Ok" Tai said thinking fast. "I need you to take me there. Will you do that? Please?" He said as an after thought.  
  
Tonai looked at Tai in shock. "No! We are forbidden to set foot on the ceremonial grounds!"  
  
Tai took a deep breath to calm his frustration, "And why is that?"  
  
"The ceremony is already in progress. If we go there now, than we will be disturbing the ancient sprits."  
  
Tai looked right into Tonai's eyes, "Ok fine, just-just tell me what the hell this 'cleansing of the soul' curtails, will yah? He's not going to die is he?"  
  
Tonai shook her head in bewilderment. "If he has a truly wicked heart than yes he will, but if his heart be pure he will live on."  
  
Tai, instantly seeing threw her words, stopped short, and a bad thought came to mind, "Tonai, just how many people that have gone thru this 'ceremony' have lived?"  
  
Tonai shook her head once more, "None, they all held evil sprits."  
  
"Shit." Tai cursed. This is just great, he thought. Than he turned back to Tonai. "OK listen to me Tonai," He said pulling her out to arms length, "You know Yamato right, I mean you've talked to him a bit?" She nodded sheepishly. "Ok," Tai said licking his lips in apprehension, "Do you honestly think, that Yamato has an 'evil sprit' inside him?"  
  
Tonai was silent for a moment than shook her head, no.  
  
(Yes, your not imagining it, she is shaking her head excessively.)  
  
"Ok, good." Tai said, letting a small breath blow out. "Well guess what's going to happen at that ceremony. He's going to * die *. No, not because he has an 'evil sprit' in side of him, because no one's ever lived threw this 'ceremony' thing."  
  
Tonai broke in, "The ancients would not lie-"  
  
Tai raised a hand and gave a little 'et et et' sound silencing Tonai, than continued. "They've been lying to you * the whole time *! Tonai, you have to understand that."  
  
"No! You do not know the ancients! You play trickery on me!" She said her voice raising in volume just a tad. Tai was quick to shush her by placing his hand over her mouth once more.  
  
"Tonai, I'm not trying to trick you here. I'm only trying to save Yamato's life. Now I'm going to try and save him, but I need your help in finding him. Will you help me? Will you show me where the ceremony is being held?" Tonai turned her head away from Tai. Tai growled ever so slightly. "Tonai, you're Yamato's only chance right now. If you don't help him, he'll die. Will you be able to live with that?"  
  
This brought Tonai's face around. She stared into Tai's face, looking deep with in trying desperately to find his truth. She turned away again. "You ask me to betray my father."  
  
"Only because he is wrong!" Tonai frowned. "Please Tonai. Help me save Yamato!"  
  
For what seemed an eternity they stood there, silent. She played her fathers harsh words at the council over again and again in her head, 'The strangers are spies, they are evil beings!' but. . . Tonai knew this to be false. At least she thought she did.  
  
She looked into the boy called Tai's eyes, deep inside, and saw no darkness there. Tears brimming in her eyes she realized her father was mistaken. These men were not evil.  
  
And the stranger, Yamato, he had said he could help her people! Free them from their life of constant fear under the Dark Lord! And she believed them, though she did not know why. She set her face in firm decision.  
  
She now knew what she had to do. She gave a slight shiver, 'I am sorry father,' she thought, 'but I do this for our people.'  
  
And than, slowly, ever so slowly, she nodded, breathing the words, "I will help you."  
  
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The clock ticked 5:37 in Matt's apartment.  
  
"What could this 'evil beings' motives be for merging the digiworld and Kanack?" Joe questioned aloud.  
  
Izzy threw up his arms as he answered. "Who knows?!? I mean, it could be anything-maybe by merging the two worlds he'd gain more power, or-maybe he did it as some sort of revenge. For all we know, it could have just been a mistake!"  
  
"Some mistake." TK said glumly.  
  
Izzy continued with a frustrated sigh, "The thing is, we don't know enough about what happened to even make an educated guess!"  
  
"Well, * that's * why we have to * find out * what happened." TK said, his voice rising ever so slightly in anger.  
  
"Should we try to contact Gedi again?" Ken asked, trying not to shiver at TK's anger. It reminded him too much of the anger he held in the digiworld. And that scared him. . .  
  
Izzy turned back to the computer. "I would, but I have no idea where to even *start *. When I tried to email him back, it told me that his email was no longer a valid account. And since we can't log into the digiworld to find him. . ." Izzy left the sentence hanging. The others could fill it in all too well. There would be no more help from Gedi.  
  
"Izzy," Sora said, pushing her hands down onto the table, "I was thinking. . . maybe. . . well is it possible that there are new digidestined or something that can help us?"  
  
Izzy sat up in thought, "Well, it is possible, and this situation * is * a digi-crisis. . ."  
  
"Well if there * are * new digidestined," Yolei reasoned, "shouldn't they appear on your digivices and our D-3's?"  
  
"You bring up a good point," Ken said, crossing his arms across his chest, "and the digivices * have * been reliable about that in the past. . ."  
  
"So, we're assuming that there are * no * new digidestined?" Joe asked to clarify.  
  
Izzy shook his head in defeat, "They haven't shown up yet, and besides that we have no way of knowing."  
  
"So, you guys, where does that leave us?" Mimi questioned.  
  
"With a lot of questions." Kari said softly, worry written on her face.  
  
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Tai and Tonai silently crept threw the shadows of the Tashon village. Tai still held Tonai's wrist in a firm grip, he still wasn't sure is she could be trusted. Even though she had agreed to help, that still didn't mean she wouldn't change her mind.  
  
After a few moments Tonai was leading Tai threw a dense forest. Matt was about to ask how much longer when a sharp pain ran over his head. He fell to the ground with a slight moan.  
  
Images of a face raced across his mind. . . he could almost make it out-but at the last moment his fingers slipped threw and the image was lost once more.  
  
He became aware of Tonai by his side, asking if he was alright. He took a shaky breath, "I think so. . . come on, lets keep going." Then they resumed their walking, in the distance they could hear drums.  
  
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Fifteen minutes later, Tai and Tonai, reached the boarders of the ceremonial grounds. Tai spotted Matt instantly. He was tied to what looked like a cross. . . something about that . . . a cross. It seemed familiar. . .  
  
Tai fell to one knee as another image came crashing threw his head, but it was gone before he could catch it. He shook it gently. What was happening? Was he remembering, or just suffering from a major migraine?  
  
Tai decided to think about that later. He turned his attention back to Matt. He looked fine, if not a bit roughed up. Tai noticed in surprise that Matt wasn't wearing the strange white shirt with the row of buttons anymore, instead he wore a brownish tan robe type garment. Tai asked Tonai about this and she responded.  
  
"Those are the judgment gowns. The one who is to be judge must wear them. It is tradition."  
  
Tai looked back to the ceremonial ground and than noticed that a total of eight old men and women were sitting hunched over before Matt. "Who are they?" He asked.  
  
"They are the village 'elders'. They pray now to the ancients, so that they might grant them wisdom to not be lead astray by an evil sprit. Tai, we must hurry. They are about to start the ritual!"  
  
"Right," Tai said absentmindedly. He than turned around to face her, "Tonai," he grasped her hands in his, "You've done your part. You don't have to come with me. You can leave now, if you want. I'd understand"  
  
She stared into his eyes for a moment. She felt a strange feeling rise up in side her. What was it? She brushed it away. Two voices began to argue in her head. One voice, the voice of reason told her that this wasn't right. She shouldn't be here. After all, she was the village leaders daughter. She was betraying her own father! She should leave now, before any more damage be done to her soul.  
  
But the second voice told her that she should trust these two men. They were good. And her father was wrong. She set her face in grim decision. If these men could really help her people, than that's enough reason to help them. She gave a silent prayer to the ancients, pleading for forgiveness, than turned back to Tai.  
  
"No. I said I'd help, and that is what I will do."  
  
Tai looked stunned. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "Thank you," Tai said kindness drifting in his eyes. She nodded again. 'Alright,' Tai thought, 'now to get Matt and get out of here.'  
  
The bonds on Matt's wrists hurt, they were bound so tight! Sleep was threatening to consume him as he stood. Matt shook himself awake. 'Try not to think about it,' he though than diverted his attention back to the ceremony in front of him. The elders had been praying to the 'ancients' for what seemed like hours in complete and utter silence. Every so often however, the four drum men to the left of the alter, would begin to play their drums. It never lasted long though.  
  
Suddenly he heard a rustling from behind him and seconds later a familiar voice. "Tai?" Matt whispered threw his teeth.  
  
"Yes, its me." Tai whispered back.  
  
"Oh man, am I glad to see you! Get me outta here!"  
  
Tai nodded and silently, careful not to catch the praying elders attention, began fiddling with the ropes on Matt's wrists. "What are you doing?" Matt whispered.  
  
"Getting you free!" Tai said bluntly.  
  
"What? With you hands! Tai didn't you bring a knife or something? Those ropes are too tight to be unwrapped!" Tai kept fiddling. "Oh my God! You didn't bring a knife! Wait to go, smart one!"  
  
Tai scowled. "Well I was kind of at a press for time! You should be grateful! I * could * have just left you you know!"  
  
"Ok ok! I'm sorry! Just get them off will yah! They hurt like hell!"  
  
"Let me try," Tonai said.  
  
"Tonai's here too?" Matt whispered in surprise. Than Matt heard a small knife being unsheathed. Tai let out a small, 'woah.' In explanation Tonai said, "A leaders daughter should always be prepared."  
  
But before she had a chance to free Matt, what must have been the lead elder stood, with a flurry of motion, and pointing at Matt with a particularly sharp spear. He then began to speak in a tongue Matt was unfamiliar with. "IEE SO! CHO! Sychi MEI! Oo Diyie SO!"  
  
Matt stood up straight as an arrow, trying to look unsuspicious. He began to sweat. Was this part of the ceremony, or had the elder seen Tai and Tonai? He gritted threw his teeth, "Hurry it up you guys!"  
  
The elder stepped closer and Tai and Tonai were forced to duck down behind the alter, in order to make sure the elder didn't see him. Tai cussed silently, how were they supposed to save Matt if they couldn't get to him?  
  
Tai quickly turned to Tonai and whispered, "What's going on?"  
  
Her face was pale, "The elders are nearing the final stages of the ceremony. They will now draw first blood of the one to be judged and offer it to the ancients. We must hurry!"  
  
Tai almost laughed when she said 'first blood'. Hadn't they drawn blood before all this? He turned his attention back to Tonai. "Alright, how long do you think it'll take for you to untie Matt-I mean Yamato."  
  
Tonai figured it in her head. "Perhaps a minute. The bonds are thick."  
  
"Ok than," Tai got up and made for the forest.  
  
"Where are you doing?" Tonai hissed.  
  
"Buying us some time!" Tai whispered back, and than ran into the forest.  
  
The elder was now a foot away from Matt and it was at this point the drum men began their beating once more. The elder stood, singing in his odd tongue and playing dangerously with the spear near Matt's head. Matt looked closer at the elder. His robes were long, and covered most of his body. His hood was folded back to reveal a face who had seen many years.  
  
(Thus the reason he was an elder!!! Imagine that!)  
  
The drums began to build to an unbearable peak, and Matt swore his heart was going to the beat. And than, all in one moment, the elders spear was pressed straight against his neck and the drum beats came to a screeching halt.  
  
Matt let out a gasp of surprise, but didn't dare to move. The elders spear was way to close for that!  
  
"You may give your last words now, before we begin."  
  
Matt let out his breath a bit. His last words?!? What was he supposed to do? Trying to buy more time came to mind. But what if they couldn't free him in time? He set his mind. Better make this good than. "Well. . . first of all I'd like to say that your making a mistake, and second I'd like to uh. . . say goodbye to TK my little brother. And also Tai. Tai, even though we fight sometimes you're like a brother to me. If I don't make it out of this, tell TK I love him. And say good bye to the others for me, especially Gabumon an-"  
  
Suddenly, a rock came flying out from the forest and hit an elder straight in the head. The elder let out a loud 'ugh!' than fell over backwards.  
  
The other elders looked up in confusion, and suddenly another rock came flying out from the forest, narrowly missing another elder. Matt looked on in shock. Tai's doing?  
  
Tai came out form the forest at that moment, by his side a rather large pile of rocks. The elders eyes bulged. "Hey you guys! Mind if I crash the party?" He than proceeded to chuck rocks at the old people.  
  
(Look how delicately I phrased that!)  
  
The elders began to run for cover into the forest. The lead elder took one look at Tai than turned around and ran for his life, dropping the spear as he went. Tonai, looking on in amazement, than hurriedly began hacking at the bonds around Matt's wrist.  
  
Meanwhile, Tai had turned to chucking rocks at the drummers, who had not ran away when he had appeared. "HA! Take that you filthy drummers! I didn't like your music anyway!" Tai reached back for another rock, felt around. "Uh oh." There was none left! He had used them all. His eyes grew big as the four muscular drummers circled their pray.  
  
He gulped. "Heh. Di-did I say that? I meant. . . Take that you * wealthy * drummers! It'd be a shame to not like-love! your music!" They kept circling.  
  
Matt watched in growing panic. "Tonai! Hurry!"  
  
"I'm trying Yamato! Just a few more strands!"  
  
Two of the drummers came up behind Tai, and grabbed his arms. He yelped in surprise, but the surprise was quickly replaced by fear as another drummer came in, fists clenched. Tai squeezed his eyes shut. This was going to hurt.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a loud grunt and than a * thump *. Tai cautiously opened one eye to see that one of the drummers was now laying on the ground unconscious. He looked up in surprise to see Matt, wielding the elders spear as a club.  
  
"Nice shoot," Tai breathed and than the scene turned to madness.  
  
Two of the drummers charged into Matt, while the other drummer stayed behind to hold Tai. Matt was sent backwards by the two drummers sheer weight and fell painfully down to the ground dropping the spear.  
  
Tai, taking this opportunity where there was just one drummer, slammed his elbow backwards into his stomach. The drummer hunched over in pain, releasing his grip on Tai. Tai than whirled around and gave the man a painful uppercut to the jaw.  
  
Meanwhile, Matt had his hands full, trying desperately to get the two drummers off him. He was putting up a good fight, considering they were both two times his size. His smaller build was actually an advantage over them, because it enabled him to wiggle this way and avoid *most * of their punches.  
  
After making sure that the drummer was out cold, Tai came running over to Matt and grabbed one of the men that was pinning him down, than gave him a good head butt. This gave Matt just enough time to wiggle his feet up and kick the other drummer off him. ( T_T don't think bad thoughts here people ::Scowls::)  
  
Matt sprang up while the drummer was stunned and punched him right in the face. Matt stood up, his breath coming in short gasps. It was harder than it seemed to fight these guys! He was surprised as hell they had won.  
  
He went over to Tai who was sitting on the ground holding his head. "You alright?" Matt asked stretching out a hand.  
  
Tai took it gratefully than answered, "Remind me never to head butt someone again. It gives you a major head ache." Matt gave a snigger when all of the sudden a large hand hit him from the back, sending him sideways to the ground.  
  
Tai looked up in surprise and saw that the first drummer had woken up and was coming at him menacingly. Tai gulped, 'oh great!'  
  
The drummer let out an angry war cry and charged toward Tai. Tai put up his hands and a feeble attempt to shield his face, but the blow never came. When the drummer was within five feet of Tai he stopped dead in his tracts than crumbled to the ground. Tai looked up in astonishment and saw Tonai, armed with the spear.  
  
She was quivering. "What have I done." She whispered. Tai got up off the ground and took the spear gently away.  
  
"You've saved our lives. Thank you"  
  
She nodded faintly.  
  
Meanwhile, Matt sat up groggily. "Any one catch the name of that bus?" Tai laughed.  
  
Tonai gave a confused look, "What is a bus."  
  
"In our world it's a type of public transportation." Tai explained.  
  
Matt stared open mouthed at Tai. "Tai, how did you know that?" He said carefully, as if Tai was a fragile thing, which in some ways he was.  
  
Tai looked oddly at Matt, than his eye widened in realization. "I-I don't know!"  
  
"Your remembering?" Matt asked excitedly.  
  
Tai gave a big grin, "I guess I am."  
  
"Quick!" Matt said happily, "do you remember anyone? Does Kari sound familiar, or Sora?"  
  
Tai's head fell, "No sorry, just the bus for some reason, and even that's blurry."  
  
Tonai looked confused again, "Remembering? You could not remember?"  
  
Tai began to explain when he was interrupted by two large horns in the distance. Tonai's eyes widened in fear. "The elders have warned the village! We must escape before they bring the warriors!"  
  
Matt quickly got to his feet, a bit wobbly at first, Tai helped stable him. Tai turned to Tonai, "You don't have to come with us, I mean, I don't think the drummers saw you did they? You could make it back to the village, make up a story that we kidnapped you or something. . ."  
  
"No," Tonai said firmly, "I have made my decision now I must live by it. Besides," She turned towards Matt. "I believed you when you said you could help my people."  
  
Matt blushed, "Uh. . . well we'll try our best Tonai." The horns sounded again. "We better get going." Matt said hurriedly.  
  
"Which way?" Tai asked.  
  
"This way," Tonai said pointing towards the north, "to the caves. There is a secret exit through the caverns."  
  
Matt groaned inwardly, 'Not the caverns again!' And than they hurried off, as the sounds of heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance.  
  
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Will the trio's escape be successful? What will they find outside the caves? And will Izzy and the others be able to help Matt and Tai? Find out next time in DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS!  
  
(1) The Egyptian God of Hell, the equivalent of Satan. Many times his name and the plain in which he rules, Hell, is undefined, thus if someone were to say "Go to Sockar" you might be able to take it as "God to Hell" So the next time you guys are arguing with someone, feel free to spew this obscenity at them! YEY!  
  
ACK! This turned out to be a * very * long chapter! o_O;;;! Its like 6,000 fricken words! Wait. . .is that how you spell friken? It doesn't look right. . . and spell check looks weird. ::sweatdrops:: I'm * so * sad. If anyone knows how to spell it tell me. Its kinda frustrating. Ok well I wont keep you from the preview any longer!  
  
PREIVEIW OF NEXT CHAPTER:  
  
Matt, Tai and Tonai reach the outside but what they find is unsettling. What exactly did they find? Well you know I cant tell you that! But I'll tell you one thing, whatever is out there, must have been pretty bad to have forced the Tashon people to seek refuge in the caves. But Tonai's not talking. Will Matt and Tai be able to figure out the mystery? Its out of one mess and into another on the next chapter of * Merge *.  
  
::theme song comes in and she starts singing it::  
  
DUH DUH DUH DUUUUW DUH DUH DUH DUUUUUUW! O_O opps your still here!  
  
Ok, so just want to apologize for it taking so long for this chapter to get out. I'm taking Biology over the summer so I can take Art during the year and man! I tell you its hell! Homework in the * summer *, not a good mix. So anyway, that's cut back on my free time a tad. So yeah, that's my excuse. But this chapter is pretty long so hopefully that makes up for it! Till next time!  
  
::salutes::  
  
Sit ubu sit.  
  
Reion  
  
7-09-03 


	7. Escaping

CHAPTER 7!!!!!  
  
I don't own Digimon, and I apologize that this chapters short. I think its like only 1,500 words. Oh well. Enjoy anyway.  
  
Oh yeah and I just want to say thanks to all those of you that hae reviewed. It's helped modivate me to write more ^_^. ::waves:: Hi Mel! Ha just had to say that. Any hoo thanks again. I feel so special. ^_^  
  
Oh and I just have to say, Litanya, totally agree with the torture thing. ^_^ but yer right, only if they're alright in the end. . . YAMA TORTURE RULES O_O did I say that out loud??? ^_^  
  
Ok well I'll stop babblin' now so you can read. . . but its fun to babble. oh well. ::deep sigh:: `  
  
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The trio's breathing came in short gasps as they raced thru the dense forest, Tonai in the lead, Tai in the middle, and Matt taking up the rear carrying the elders spear. He had picked it up before he had left the ceremonial grounds. Who knows? It might come in handy, he had thought.  
  
The loud clanking of armor and the heavy footsteps of many men were close on their heels. Tai figured that even with the head start they had gotten the men couldn't have been more than five acres away. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, the forest's underbrush concealed both party's well, making it impossible to tell for sure how far apart each one was.  
  
"Tonai," Matt shouted softly, careful not to get * too * loud, "How much longer?" He was answered when they burst out and were suddenly confronted by the river, the one Matt and Tai had first fallen in.  
  
Tonai pointed east, "It is only a few more minutes to the entrance to the caves, but we must hurry! If my father has suspected what we plan to do than he will make haste to send runners across the fields to guard the cave."  
  
Matt looked towards where she pointed and was surprised to see a wall of rock that stretched up as far as the eye could see, than curved to form the now dark sky. "What tha' hell. . ." But he had no more time to think of it as Tonai urged them forwards once more. It probably was just a trick of the eye, he reasoned.  
  
Meanwhile, Tai's head ache was beginning to grow. Every speck of light was a bullet to his head, every sound a cannon. He trudged drunkenly on. He had to keep going. Than the images came full force.  
  
A girl. Short brown hair, laughing.  
  
A boy. Blond hair. Matt? Tai couldn't tell. The boy stood next to the girl.  
  
Another flash and Tai was back in the forest, but not for long.  
  
Flash.  
  
Orange, Monster, Yellow eyes, Tai could tell he was friendly. . .  
  
Forest.  
  
Tai saw Matt in front of him, worry written across his face. Was this a memory, or was it real?  
  
Flash.  
  
White. Tai saw a figure in front of him, he went to him, wanting to know who he was.  
  
The figure turned around and smiled, saying "Hey Tai." It was Matt.  
  
Flash.  
  
Forest.  
  
The headache became unbearable. He heard Matt say something, but he couldn't make it out.  
  
Tai slowly slumped to the ground and into blackness.  
  
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Boran was furious. He had turned out every able man and boy for this search. He would * not * let the demons escape! Suddenly a messenger came up behind him bearing a torch to light his way. Boran whirled around. "What news do you bring to me?"  
  
The messenger gave a slight bow, as was common courtesy than said with a bit of unease, "Your Excellency Boran, one of the four drummers has awaken and. . ."  
  
"And?" Boran said loudly, clearly impatient.  
  
"And-Sir, they said Tonai was with the demons." The messenger cringed anticipating Boran to blow his top at the news. And that he did.  
  
"WHAT!?!" He bellowed, "ARE YOU TELLING ME MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED???"  
  
The messenger hung his head and shrunk back even more, "No sir, she helped them escape."  
  
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Matt cussed loudly as he watched Tai sink to the ground. He barley caught him before his head hit the ground. Tonai looked up worriedly, "What is wrong with him?"  
  
Matt shook his head in worry and a bit of panic, "I don't know!" Horns busted from the forest. Still far a way, but getting close, too close. "Damn it," Matt cussed a bead of sweat rolling down his face, "We'll have to carry him."  
  
Matt went to put down his spear on the ground but than thinking better of it, he went and threw it into the river. The spear quickly snagged on some ferns and stayed floating there. Hopefully, that would throw them off for a while.  
  
Matt than returned back to Tonai and Tai and with a grunt of effort hauled Tai on to his back. Tonai helped secure Tai so he wouldn't fall, and than they began once more, at a slightly slower pace because of Tai's condition. (No nasty thoughts!)  
  
After fifteen minutes at a panting pace Tonai and Matt finally reached the rock wall. Tonai was silent for a moment listening than, satisfied that the runners were not there yet, she crept to the wall. Matt laid Tai down to take a slight rest, and than began to idly marvel at the walls height, he couldn't even see where it ended!  
  
Tonai ran her hands over the rocks, fumbling for something in the almost none existent light. Than a sound came to Matt's ears that made his heart stop. Hoof beats.  
  
( I dun know what do you call horse foot steps cause like just horse foot steps sounds kinda weird. . . er it does to me.)  
  
Tonai froze for a second, breathing the word, 'runners', and than began her search at a desperate pace.  
  
"Quick Yamato! Search for a hole in the rock!" Matt did as he was told.  
  
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Boran knelt by the spear that was sticking from the ferns in the river. One of his scouts had alerted him to this. It was the spear of the elders. The strangers must have taken it. He stood up again, ordering half his men to go across the river to begin a new search and half to continue their search the way they had been going.  
  
He narrowed his eyes. He swore silently that he would catch the strangers and. . . and * save * his daughter from their evil temptation spell they must surly have laid upon her to have done such a thing. And when he did. . . Boran smiled. The demons would draw their last breath.  
  
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Tonai and Matt desperately searched the rocks for the promised hole that would be their salvation. There wasn't much time! The hoof falls were getting louder by the second. 'What would happen if they were caught?' Matt thought but was able to answer his question instantly. Death.  
  
He fumbled for the hole once more. It was so dark! Suddenly, Tonai let out a relieved breath, but she did not pause for a second, the hoof falls were too close for that. Pulling back a shrub, she revealed a hole, no bigger than four feet in diameter. Matt's eyes bulged. They were supposed to go threw * that *.  
  
"Hurry!" Tonai said, and Matt took his queue, hurriedly picking the still unconscious Tai up and began crawling threw the hole, not looking back. The hoof falls were so close! Tonai crept into the hole at the last possible moment, just as the runners burst threw the forest.  
  
They cried out for her to stop. She didn't. Instead, she turned her head to where she knew her village lay, knowing that this might be the last time she would set eyes on her people. She could go back, say that they had kidnapped her. Her father would protect her. But no. Yamato and Tai needed her help, and in turn her people need theirs.  
  
She turned away just as the runners began raising their bows, and before they had the chance to shoot she disappeared into the dark of the cave. She knew the consequences of leaving, but she also knew the consequences for staying.  
  
She would help Yamato and Tai. She would help her people.  
  
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What's wrong with Tai? Is he finally remembering? And what will Matt and Tonai find once they reach the outside of the caves? Its all in the next exciting episode of DIGIMON: DIGITAL MONSTERS!!!  
  
***Short yes, very short, but I'm kinda worn out from that last chapter-and in my defense, I took my final in Biology today so I'm like REEEEEEALY tired. I said it once and I'll say it again, finals are evil. EVIL I TELL YOU!!!  
  
Anyway, I think that this is a good place to leave off in the chapter. I want to have a clean break between the Tashon village and the atmosphere of the "outside." You'll see why when I get there. Well I don't have that much more to say about this chapter because to be honest, there's just not that much here to comment on, so I'll leave you with the preview.  
  
PREIVEIW OF NEXT CHAPTER!!!  
  
Matt, Tai and Tonai have finally escaped the Tashon village, and so now everything is going to be peachy clean right? Wrong. The Dark Lord has taken over, and just like His Excellency Boran, he does not take kindly towards strangers. Tai and Tonai are forced to go into hiding but with a 'out of commission' Tai can they stay hidden for long? And whose this Stain person? Its out of one mess, and into another in the next exciting chapter of Merge.  
  
*****Wait wait! I lied. I have one more thing to add but it's totally irrelevant to this story but I just have to say it anyway!!! Daniel Jackson from the show Stargate SG-1 ::shivers:: is SOOOOO cute! I luv him! I luv Stargate! ::starts kissing the stargate:: O_O yeah . . . heh Anyone who doesn't know the show will probably be like 'Wha. . .???' right now, but those of you who do know it are proably all like ' I LUV IT TOO!' So any way if you haven't seen it I highly recommend you check your local listings for it 'cause it is TOTALLY worth it!  
  
K * NOW! * I'm done.  
  
Sit Ubu Sit.  
  
Reion  
  
7-11-03 


	8. Explainations

CHAPTER 8!!!  
  
Sorry it took so long for me to update. I got really sick, than I had summer school, and than my horse got sick and seriously like EVERYONES birthday is in July! So to make a long story short I've been really busy lately!!! And more bad news, I'm going on a trip this Saturday and I'll be gone for two weeks so this will probably be my last update for a while.  
  
Anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I think this turned out a bit slow. I had too much talking in the first half BUT ITS NESSASARY! It'll give some answers to where Tai and Matt are and how they got there. lol I call this chapter my 'explanation chapter'. So anyway enjoy. . .  
  
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` The sound of urgent foot steps exploded from the forest. A split second later a runner burst threw the leaves. He dismounted and knelt before His Excellency Boran.  
  
"Why are you not at your station?" Boran said with a powerful coldness brought on by worry.  
  
The runner lowered his head sheepishly.  
  
"SPEAK!" Boran commanded.  
  
"I am sorry Sir, but when we reached the south exit it was already to late. We saw-we saw them escaping into the exit. We sought to shoot but dared not risk your daughters life."  
  
"My daughter." Boran spook passionately. "Please tell me-you must speak the truth for my ears, was she held hostage???" Boran wished with all his heart she was.  
  
The runner shook his head sadly. "I speak the truth Sir as you ask, she went of free will."  
  
Boran's eyes widened than narrowed in sorrow than in hatred. "The demons. The Bastard demons. First they take my wife, now my DAUGHTER!" He flung his head back and shouted to the sky. "WHAT MORE DO YOU WISH TO TAKE FROM ME?!? I SWARE BY MY SWOARD I WILL KILL YOU. I SWARE IT!!!"  
  
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Matt stumbled threw the darkness, his breath quick. Tai was damn heavy. He could barely make out the shape of Tonai's figure. They had been walking in silence for almost twenty minutes now.  
  
Matt finally decided to speak. "How much longer?"  
  
Tonai stopped short, as if realizing that Matt was behind her for the first time. "I-" She whirled around and almost tripped, but Matt steadied her. She looked around than up into Matt's face. "Thank you," She said faintly.  
  
Matt nodded. Tonai motioned towards the ground. "We may rest here for a moment, there is still an hours walk at least." Matt groaned at this, and slowly lowered Tai's limp form to the ground.  
  
Worry crossed his face. What was wrong with Tai anyway? He took a quick moment to search for any wounds on his friend that might explain his condition, but it was too dark to tell. Deciding that he had done all that he could for Tai at the moment, he sat back to catch his breath.  
  
It was then that he heard a slight sniffle. It had come towards where Tonai now sat. "Tonai?" Matt asked cautiously.  
  
He could hear her clear her throat and saw the faint image of her arm reach up to her face to wipe away . . . tears?  
  
"Yes," She answered weakly, trying with out success to conceal her sadness.  
  
"Are you. . . I mean. . . are you alright?" Matt asked sheepishly, knowing the clear answer.  
  
Tonai sniffled in thee darkness than answered. "I will be, in time. It is just hard to leave my people. . . my father. . ."  
  
"You can still go back-"  
  
"No." Tonai said with firm determination. "I have chosen my path, and I will follow it."  
  
"You don't have to come though, if you don't want to." Matt said kindly.  
  
Tonai took a deep breath and began to compose herself, "Thank you, Yamato, but I want to help you."  
  
"You-you do?"  
  
Tonai let out a bit of a laugh at Matt's surprise. "Yes, when I first saw you," She paused as if wondering if she should go on, than decided to continue, "When you fell from the sky, I saw the way you helped your friend, Tai. You could have drowned, and yet you never let him go. You held on.  
  
"I remember thinking, how brave, and kind, that act was. . . there was not that much kindness in my life. . .after the merge. But when I saw you, lifting Tai out of the river, I knew that you had something great in you. And Tai has shown that same greatness in how he rescued you.  
  
"This is why I wanted to help you. You-I feel as if you are to do something great, perhaps even defeat the Dark Lord."  
  
Matt shifted to face Tonai a bit more and coked his head, "Thank you, I . . . I don't know what to say-we'll try our best-to defeat the Dark Lord, whoever he might be."  
  
"You do not know who the Dark Lord is?"  
  
Matt shuck his head, "Nope."  
  
"Then you were telling the truth, at the council?" Matt nodded. Tonai was silent for a moment than spoke. "Than I shall tell you of the Dark Lord." Her voice became cold when she spoke his name.  
  
Matt shivered as he looked to her figure. Tonai began, "Before he came, my people-my world, was a happy place. We lived in peace. There was little crime in our cities. But than one day. . . a great rumbling came from the ground, and the sky turned red and purple.  
  
"A giant hole appeared in the sky, and from it a floating box emerged."  
  
"A space ship?" Matt said thinking aloud.  
  
Tonai looked over to Matt, "That is what they called it. How did you know?"  
  
Matt let out a sigh, "I'll explain later. What happened next?"  
  
Tonai turned her attention inward, and she began to replay the memories in her head. "The 'space ship' floated above our city for many hours, until finally it landed in our fields. From it, thirty men came, dressed in metal. They said that they came in peace, and only wished to be friends.  
  
"We believed them." Tonai said sadly. "For two seasons they lived with us, and we began to trust them. They were our honored guests. In the day time, they would wander the villages of our kingdom, wanting to know of our technology, marveling over our culture.  
  
"Than after two seasons, they boarded their 'space ship' and left into the sky. We thought this was odd, but. . . they had proven odd in the past. Three moons after they departed the earth began to tremble once more, only this time with more force." Tonai's eyes narrowed coldly and her voice became hard with emotion.  
  
"Many buildings fell, and some were killed in the sudden collapses. My people were scared. Then the sky turned red and black and began to swirl in a vicious shape. From the sky, a 'space ship' appeared, than another, and another. They grew in number, until one could no longer see the sky.  
  
Matt sat silently, listening.  
  
"And than. . . than the already giant swirling hole tripled, and a 'space ship' the size of which made all others look small in comparison emerged." She stopped short, letting out a short sob. Matt reached across Tai to comfort her.  
  
"It's alright, you don't have to continue-"  
  
"No. If I do not tell it now it will never be told." She held his hand firmly. Matt slowly nodded, unsure. Taking a deep breath she continued.  
  
"A loud voice shouted form the sky, saying that he was 'the Dark Lord' and that if we joined him he would spar us. He proclaimed himself a God. A few weak of will fell under his power and joined his ranks but most of us decided to fight.  
  
Matt looked at Tonai's figure thru the shadows in both awe and pity. She had gone thru such a horror. Her voice rang out from the shadows once more.  
  
"For seven days we fought against the Dark Lord's demon servants (1), and on everyday we were on the losing side. They knew our defenses, they knew the ways of our land. The servants who had come before had been the scouts. Little had we known we were taking part in our own demise," she let out a sob, "when we gave them the tour of our cities. It seemed harmless, we did not show them any of our armories. . . and yet they knew. . . they knew everything."  
  
Tonai's eyes brimmed with tears, though Matt could not see them, he could hear it in her voice. He softly got up, and sat down next to Tonai. He put a hand on her shoulder as a sign of comfort, and as soon as he had done so she whirled around and began sobbing into his shoulder.  
  
Matt froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. He slowly rapped his arms around her as well, blushing ever so slightly. He gave her comforting 'shushes' the way he used to comfort T.K when they were younger. He patted her back, gently swaying from side to side.  
  
"Shush, its ok, shush, it's over now, you don't have to worry, me and Tai are going to help you, I promise. Ok, shush, its alright." Matt just hoped he could keep that promise. . .  
  
Tonai looked up thru wet eyes, "Thank you," She whispered weakly. "Thank you so much." Matt nodded and put her head back down, resting his chin on top it. He held her until she stopped crying, which was several minutes later.  
  
Tonai pulled away, realizing for the first time how close she was to Matt. In the darkness, she blushed. Matt blushed as well.  
  
"I. . . I'm sorry-"  
  
"No, don't be-I mean. . . well it's not your fault-I mean. . ."  
  
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for along time, than Tonai said in a sad voice. "They had short staffs that shot fire."  
  
Matt looked up a bit disoriented, "Who did?"  
  
"The Dark Lords servants."  
  
Matt eyed Tonai sadly, "You don't have to continue if you don't want to. . ."  
  
Tonai continued. She didn't want to, she had to.  
  
"They killed anyone who could not work or resisted. Men, woman, children, no one was safe. They killed my mother."  
  
"I'm-"  
  
"-They took most as prisoners. Before they came, our numbers were in the thousands, after just seven days, our numbers were in the hundreds.  
  
"My father led the few that had not been killed, or captured to the sacred caves, where we now live-where they now live." She corrected sadly, "Eight powerful mages, created an artificial world for us."  
  
"So back there," Matt pointed, "Was fake?"  
  
Tonai shook her head, "It is real, just not naturally made. The mages gave up their youth to save the us, this is how they became the elders." Matt's eyes widened in surprise, but Tonai continued.  
  
"I was among the last to escape into the caves. As I entered the cave I looked out up to the sky, for what I thought was the last time. I saw. . . great masses of land falling from the hole, on them, monsters. They came in all shapes and sizes, some could fly, some could swim. I-It was as if a whole world was falling down upon us."  
  
Matt's mind jumped with thought, "The digital world???" He turned desperately towards Tonai, "Did you see data? Was there data?"  
  
"Data? What is data?" Tonai asked.  
  
"Uh-shimmering stings of-of-stuff." That was the only way to describe it.  
  
Tonai's face grew with confusion but than she nodded. "Yes, yes there was 'data' than. It fell with the land."  
  
Matt sat back. The digital world. There was no way to be certain but-this could be bad.  
  
"Do you know of this world that fell from the sky?"  
  
Matt looked at Tonai, uncertainty written across his face. "Maybe, I-I'm not sure."  
  
Tonai's ears perked up. "We must go, I am not sure if my father would be desperate enough to send runners after us, but if he is, than we must keep up a fast pace."  
  
Matt nodded. "Right." He went to go pick up Tai than turned to Tonai. "Tonai, if what I think has happened is true, then. . . well I'm going to help you, I promise. And if there's anything I can do-to make you feel better I-"  
  
"No, but thank you Yamato. It. . . it means a lot to me."  
  
Matt nodded, and lifted Tai onto his back once more. They began to walk again. "By the way Tonai, my names not Yamato. Its Matt."  
  
"But you said your name was Yamato. Did you lie?"  
  
"Well no not exactly-you see it goes like this. When I was a little kid, there was this T.V show and-"  
  
"T.V? What is a T.V?"  
  
"Well it's this thing that you watch and. . ."  
  
Their voices receded into the darkness.  
  
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Izzy rubbed his eyes from exhaustion. They had been at Matt and Tai's apartment for over six hours now and they still hadn't made much progress in finding Matt and Tai. All they knew was that they (Matt and Tai) were in some sort of new world, not surprisingly that didn't help calm their worries.  
  
(Its now like um 6. . .ish. ::sweatdrops::)  
  
"Sorry guys, but I have to get home, I have to catch that flight back to America." Mimi said sadly.  
  
(Mimi had been visiting.)  
  
"I have to go too." Yolei said, getting up from the couch. "I have a job interview in the morning."  
  
Izzy saw T.K's fist clench. "So your just giving up then." He said hotly.  
  
Mimi and Yolei looked at T.K a bit hurt. "What? No T.K that's not it at all- " Mimi tried to say but she was interrupted.  
  
"Is it?"  
  
"T.K we want to help, we do, but we have to get home."  
  
"FINE!" T.K said slamming his fists down on the table overturning a glass. It's liquids spilled out and on to the floor. "JUST LEAVE! GO HOME TO YOUR SAFE HOUSE WHILE MATT AND TAI ARE GOD KNOWS WHERE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES!"  
  
"T.K-"  
  
T.K pushed Kari away and turned his back on the two shocked girls. Ken watched T.K sadly. He had been noticing the rising anger inside the boy since he had arrived. It was only a matter of time until it bubbled over.  
  
Joe stepped forward, "T.K, Mimi and Yolei * do * care about Matt and Tai, but we've done all we can tonight. It's getting late. We'll come back in the morning."  
  
"Oh, so your leaving too?" T.K said angrily.  
  
"T.K I didn't say that-I will have to soon though-we all have to-"  
  
"NO! WE HAVE TO FIND THEM!"  
  
"T.K!" Sora said stepping forward. "We've been * trying * to-"  
  
"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"  
  
Ken stepped forward and grabbed T.K by the shoulders looking him straight tint he eye. T.K tried to struggle but Ken held him fast. "T.K," Ken said in an even voice. "I realize that you want to find your brother, we all do, but it's going to take * time *. And I think that we'd all work better after a good nights sleep-In the morning we'll start again." He added quickly as T.K let out an angry snort.  
  
Ken paused for a moment than continued. "And besides, I think that it'd be good to have some people at their houses just incase Matt and Tai come back and end up going there instead."  
  
T.K looked wildly at Ken for a long moment than slowly, ever so slowly, relaxed. Ken let go of his grip on T.K's shoulders. "Fine." T.K said. "Your right." He added. Ken nodded.  
  
Mimi and Yolei left shortly after leaving Joe, Sora, Kari, Izzy, Ken and T.K in the apartment.  
  
Izzy rubbed his eyes again. What a long day.  
  
Joe turned on the T.V. to a news station, "Just incase they have something about. . . them." He explained.  
  
Sora nodded.  
  
The newscasters oh so fake laugh filled the room. "Ha Ha Ha. Thanks Jim. In other news * today *, yet another street * gang * member has gone * missing * today. That will make the * third * person missing this *week *. Over the last * month * the number of missing * persons * has nearly * tripled * with little to * no * evidence as to exactly * who * is behind it. Almost * ¼ * of the cases are for suspected * gang * members. Officials say that. . ."  
  
Izzy stopped listening. He turned back to the computer screen and read over Gedi's letter and the prophecy one more time.  
  
" Two beings will mix with the data. . ." He repeated the words. This part didn't make sense. If Matt and Tai were the 'two beings' than when had they 'mixed with the data?' When they had gone to the digiworld? No. The other digidestined had gone to the digiworld too and they hadn't been transported to this 'other world.'  
  
Then when? When had they mixed with. . .  
  
"Internet."  
  
"What?" Joe asked from the couch.  
  
"The Internet! OF COURSE!"  
  
The group all looked at the raving Izzy. "The Internet, of course what?" Sora asked.  
  
"The internet! They-they 'mixed with the data' when they went into the internet."  
  
T.K grabbed one of Izzy's flailing arms trying to calm him down. "Who did?"  
  
"Matt and Tai." Izzy said with a giant grin across his face.  
  
"Um and when did they do this?" Joe asked confused.  
  
"Wh-when the fought Diabramon."  
  
(A/N ok I haven't seen the Digimon movie in a really long time and for the life of me I cant remember what the evil Digimon's name was on the Internet that they fought. I think that its Diabramon but I could be wrong, (and I probably am) so if anyone knows what it is could you PLEASE tell me!!! Thanks)  
  
"When they fought who?' Ken asked confused.  
  
Izzy turned towards Ken. He had forgotten Ken didn't know. "Just before the new digidestined got their D-3's an evil Digimon attacked the internet. His name was Diabramon. Matt and Tai somehow were able to go into the * internet * and fight Diabramon-that's when they first spirit evolved. Anyway," Izzy waved his hands in front of his face.  
  
"The point is, * that's * when they 'mixed with the data'-the internet."  
  
"Ok. . . wait." Sora said a bit confused. "What's the difference between the * internet * and the * digiworld *. I mean their both data right-their both digital."  
  
'That's what I thought too." Izzy said, sitting back in his chair. "But than I remembered something Gedi told me once. He explained it too me. You see the digital world is only * half * digital."  
  
"-What?"  
  
"Just listen. Ok, here's the thing. Its only half digital because a being can be put into a stable form there, but the internet is made entirely of * data *, it wasn't designed to create a stable form. But, Matt and Tai did somehow."  
  
"So what does that mean?" T.K asked.  
  
Izzy looked at the computed screen for a moment than answered. "The transition between their * real * world forms and being entirely data must have-have altered their-their, "Izzy looked for the right word.  
  
"It left a marker." Ken finished for Izzy, picking up on his train of thought.  
  
"Exactly." Izzy said.  
  
"So . . . when the two worlds merged. . . that marker must have triggered something. That's why they were transported to the new world." Ken concluded.  
  
"In theory at least." Izzy ended.  
  
The group was silent for a moment.  
  
"It sounds. . . feasible . . ." Sora said at last.  
  
"So what does that mean for Matt and Tai?" T.K asked.  
  
"Well-" Izzy stopped short. He turned his chair around to look at the computer screen.  
  
"Well what?" T.K asked.  
  
Izzy took a deep breath and looked up and around the group. "I think we might just have discovered a way to contact Matt and Tai."  
  
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A shadowed figure sat in a room filled with red. Two beings dwelled in this body, both as evil as hate. Their eyes flashed blood red as they sensed two presences. Its head curled to the left to where it had sensed the two presences and its eyes glistened red once more. With silent decision, it raised its hand, and twenty pairs of red eyes leapt from the darkness behind him.  
  
The figure stretched out a bony hand filled with death, one clawed finger pointing. The twenty pairs of glowing eyes smiled in sinister joy. A hunt was on its way.  
  
It lowered its hand and slowly sat back in its chair. The figures lips cracked open ever so slightly, and a silver slit of moon fell across its smile.  
  
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OOOO CrrrreEepy! ^_^ What will happen to our trio? How does Izzy plan on contacting Matt and Tai? But most of all, what does the 'Dark Lord' have in store for our heroes?  
  
It's all on the next chapter of: Digimon: Digital Monsters!!!  
  
Yeah all you Tai fans are probably unhappy with this chapter cause it doesn't have him in it. . . well it does but he doesn't talk so it doesn't really count. . . Anyway! Don't worry! I promise in the next chapter I'll have * a lot * of him to make up for it. K? K.  
  
Preview of Next Chapter:  
  
The trio reach the outside * finally * but the Dark Lord is expecting them. Now it's up to Matt to save Tai and Tonai, but wait. Whose that girl? And can she be trusted? Oh yeah! And Tai will wake up! YEY! Its all in the next chapter of Merge.  
  
::starts singing the theme song::  
  
Duh Duh Duh Merge.  
  
Duh Duh Duh Merge.  
  
Duh Duh Duh Two worlds Merge.  
  
MERGE!!!  
  
^_^heh Yeah I know pretty sad. . . OH WELL!  
  
(1) "For seven days we fought against the Dark Lord's demon servants. . ." This gives reference to the creation of earth. This is appropriate because it takes seven days for the destruction of earth. The Dark Lord's demon servants could be interpreted to be the damned, and thus the Dark Lord would be Satan or the AntiChrist.  
  
Lol Um ok On that cheery note I leave you. ^_^ Until next time! ::waves::  
  
Reion  
  
Sit Ubu sit.  
  
07/26/03 


	9. Ruins

CHAPTER 9!!!!  
  
*********Ok Peoples! I have finished some FanArt for this fic so if any of you are interested in it please either email me at animegate@aol.com or tell me in a review (If you tell me in a review remember to give me your email or make sure your signed on so I can get your email from your login thingy. . . magigi. ^_^) I'll try to get the FanArt to you as soon as possible. ***********  
  
(Oh yes and please forgive the part where Izzy and Ken are figuring out a way to * contact * Tai and Matt. Their explanations may seem a bit far fetched. Lol But I have to have them get in contact with Tai and Matt sometime er other and that's the best reasoning I could think of. ^_^)  
  
Okie Dokie Hope you like the chapter. . .  
  
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Faces I should know. . .  
  
But I don't. . .  
  
Tai floated in a sea of images. They seemed to trickle over him. Tai closed his eyes. What was happening?  
  
A girl. Red hair. A hat. A blue hat.  
  
Her name. . .  
  
Another girl, short brown hair. Tai had seen her before. She was very important. . . why? He didn't know. What was her name?  
  
K. . .  
  
Kar. . .  
  
Kari. . .  
  
Then, like flood gates bursting open, memories began to surge over him.  
  
Augumon, Sora, Kari, Matt-  
  
A searing lightning bolt was shooting threw his head.  
  
To much! To fast! It hurt!  
  
But the images would not stop.  
  
Camp, Izzy, Digivices, Mimi, Joe, Digiworld, Dark Masters, Peidmon, Fight, Gedi-  
  
STOOOOOP!  
  
Trickle.  
  
Taichi. . . Taichi Yagami. . .That was his name. . .He was Taichi Yagami.  
  
(am I spelling his last name right? Correct me if I'm wrong . . .)  
  
The storm subsided to a low mist.  
  
With a weak but relieved smile, Taichi Yagami closed his eyes and let himself fall into a deep sleep. He knew who he was now. He was Tai, the leader of the digidestined, and the holder of the Crest of Courage.  
  
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Matt and Tonai stood at the exit. Just a few more steps and they'd be out of the caves. . . But they just stood.  
  
Tonai's eyes shimmered with memories. Her mother. . . her mother had died. The Dark Lord. . . the suffering. Was she so crazy that she would freely go back into all that pain?  
  
. . .yes.  
  
She had been hiding in the caves. . . she couldn't hide any longer.  
  
She took a step forward and a bead of sunlight hit her shoe. She took another step, and the sunlight covered her waist. Than one last step, and she felt the heat of the sun on her face. She soaked it in. Mmmm It had been so long. . .  
  
Matt came from behind her carrying Tai. "We're out." He said stating the obvious.  
  
"Yes. . . we are." Tonai answered back.  
  
Matt looked around. They were in a forest, much like the forest in the Tashon village, but this forest was more over grown. A thin path could be seen threw the under brush-but just barely.  
  
It was clear that no one had used the path for quite some time.  
  
Matt took a deep breath. "What do we do now?"  
  
Tonai looked up, as if from a dream. "There-there is a village. . . there was at least-to the north. We should go there."  
  
Matt nodded and they began to slowly walk down the over grown path.  
  
Several miles ahead, in a sad city, twenty black beasts lay in wait. . .  
  
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"Contact them?"  
  
Izzy nodded while furiously typing.  
  
"How?"  
  
Izzy was silent for a moment gathering his thoughts than he began. "When Matt and Tai went into the Internet they mixed with the data right-"  
  
"Yes we already know that."  
  
"Ok well listen for just a sec. A 'marker' was left on them, and that's what enabled them to be transported to this new world when the digiworld and Kanac merged."  
  
"Right. . ."  
  
"Ok so all we have to do is match that frequency-that marker and than we should be able to transport a message to them."  
  
"Why cant we just go there ourselves?" Joe asked.  
  
"Well in theory we could, but we have no way of knowing how our bodies would react-Tai and Matt's bodies were already adjusted to the transfer. But if we were to transfer ourselves we might end up doing more damage than good. I mean if we end up being seriously hurt by the transfer that's one more danger for Matt and Tai."  
  
"And anyways, we don't know enough about this 'transfer' to be sure it would even work. What if the merge between the two worlds was a factor in the transfer. If the merge is already complete and we try to transfer ourselves we could end up scattered across the universe-it would just be way to dangerous. We just don't know enough."  
  
"We never know enough." T.K said sullenly.  
  
"So what makes you so sure we can contact them?" Ken asked.  
  
Izzy turned towards Ken. "If we tried to transfer ourselves we would have to be in a stable form threw out the transfer. But a communication doesn't have to be in a stable form so there'd be more likelihood that it would make it threw."  
  
"I see. . ."Ken said.  
  
"Ok so what if it * does * make it threw," Joe said, "How can we be sure that we get * it * to them? I mean how do we make sure we aren't talking to this evil person their supposed to be fighting?"  
  
Izzy was dumb founded. "I hadn't thought of that. . ."  
  
The group was silent for a moment. Then Ken spoke.  
  
"Their digivices."  
  
Izzy's head perked in hope. "Of course! We can match the signal to their digivices."  
  
"Right." Ken confirmed.  
  
"That's assuming they * have * their digivices with them." Kari said.  
  
The group began searching the two boys rooms. After ten minutes of searching, Kari came out of Tai's room carrying his digivices.  
  
"It would figure he'd forget it." She said sarcastically.  
  
"What about Matt's?"  
  
No one had found it.  
  
"Well, should we * assume * that Matt has his then?" Joe asked.  
  
"Not assume * hope *." Izzy said glumly.  
  
Ken spoke up, "We should try anyways. Even if he doesn't have it, the transmission will most likely be transferred into the general area that they landed. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll hear it."  
  
The group nodded as a whole. "Good thinking." Izzy said.  
  
"One problem," Sora said, "How are we going to find the 'frequency' of the marker?"  
  
Izzy was already logging into the Internet. "Simple. The frequency of the Internet." He said with a big grin splashed across his face. Now they were finally getting somewhere!  
  
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Matt splashed water across his face from the stream. It felt so good. He looked over at Tai again. He was still unconscious. Slowly Matt became aware of a pressure around his neck. He felt around curiously to discover his tie.  
  
He was amazed it was still on.  
  
Well, as long as he had it might as well put it to good use. He thought, taking it off and dunking it into the cool stream. He than laid the tie across Tai's forehead. 'Hopefully, that will cool him down.' Matt thought.  
  
He heard Tonai's footsteps from behind him. She had gone on ahead while he had taken a rest to see how far it was until they would reach the city.  
  
"It is just over that ridge." She said, pointing to a * very * far off hill.  
  
"Just over my ass. . ." Matt mumbled under his breath. He lugged Tai on to his back again with a grunt. His muscles had begun to feel the strain of Tai's weight long ago.  
  
Ten minutes later they were at the top of the ridge looking at. . . a crater. A black crater.  
  
Tonai stared. "My. . .my village. . ."  
  
Where once magnificent buildings stood, mere stumps of ruble covered with ash and specks of green plants remained. Shimmering stones laid out as roads now lay cracked and disarrayed. The gardens once cared for so affectionately by their owners, now lay over grown, like raving jungles, tiny specks of black showing testimony to the fires they had survived.  
  
Matt silently followed Tonai threw the charred streets, not knowing what else to do. What was he supposed to say to her? She was walking threw her own * home * and it was 'dead'. What could he * ever * say that would make this better?  
  
Tonai stopped in front of a crumbling stone cross. It was the only thing that remained of the city that was semi-intact. She slowly knelt before it after a long period of silence.  
  
Matt stood for a second, not knowing quite what to do, but eventually decided to do the obvious choice. He silently laid Tai down on the ground and knelt as well, if not a bit awkwardly.  
  
After almost five minutes of silence, a soft sobbing could be heard. It seemed to ripple threw the empty streets of ruble.  
  
Matt lowered his head slightly. He could never make this better. No one could.  
  
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A sad ending to this chapter I know. But now you understand what I meant, when I said I wanted to have a clear break between the Tashon village and the 'outside'. For some of you this might have come as a bit of a shock er maybe it didn't. . . Well if it did, than I guess I've done my job. Heh. Stay tuned for the next * exciting * chapter of Merge.  
  
PREVEIW OF NEXT CHAPTER:  
  
The Dark Lord finds them. . . BAH BAH BAH!!!!  
  
Sit Ubu Sit  
  
Reion  
  
07/28/03 


	10. Powers

CHAPTER 10!!!  
  
In order to celebrate my tenth chapter I'm currently in the process of making a BONUS FanArt. If your interested in this, or any of my other FanArt for this story, please contact me at animegate@aol.com er tell me in a review. I'll try to get it to you as soon as possible ^_^.  
  
I wasn't too happy with my last chapter. I don't know why I just wasn't, so anyway I'm going to try to make this one better. I have a lot of ideas for this chapter so it might turn out a bit long-which is good, I suppose. And anyways, this will probably be my last update for a while because I'm going on vacation so I gotta make it good ^_^.  
  
Oh yes, and there was a bit more Cusing in this chapter than there was in others. All in all not that much, but I just wanted to warn you.  
  
Well folks, hope you like it. . .  
  
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Matt and Tonai sat silently, for several minutes after the crying had stopped. Tonai sat, empty. She had cried all her tears, she didn't have anymore to cry.  
  
Matt sat quietly and with a sad face. He couldn't even imagine what it must be like. . . what she must be feeling. . .  
  
"I knew. . . I knew that this is what I would find but. . . I just was hoping that it wouldn't be like. . . this." Tonai whispered weakly.  
  
Matt was about to say something when all of the sudden Tai let out a soft moan. Matt knelt over him. Tonai just stayed still. She was so tired. So tired of all this. She just didn't have the energy to care anymore. At least not now.  
  
"Wha. . ."  
  
Tai looked around blurry eyed and yawned. He was still so tired, Mmmm but that little nap had felt so good. He looked up to see Matt. Than he remembered what had happened when he had been asleep.  
  
Taichi. . . Taichi Yagami. . .  
  
"I remember."  
  
Matt looked a bit shocked. "Y-you do." He said a hint of excitement creeping into his sad face.  
  
"Yeah, Kari-she's my sister and you-you're my best friend and Augumon is-" Tai noticed Tonai sitting broken.  
  
"Whats. . ." Matt just shook his head.  
  
"Tell you later. That's great about your memory. I was really getting worried there for a second."  
  
"You, worried?" Tai said with a slight laugh. He looked over at Tonai again. What was going on?  
  
Matt let out a soft laugh. "What, that's hard to beil-" He stopped.  
  
"What?" Tai asked seeing the tense look on Matt's face.  
  
Matt was silent for a second than shook his head. "Thought I heard something. . . So uh, how'd you remember?"  
  
"Well I'm not sure exactly. I had this dream and than suddenly it all started coming back."  
  
Matt gave a warm smile and helped Tai to his feet. He gave Tai a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Well glad your back."  
  
"Yeah, good to be back." Tai saw Matt's face tense once more. "Hear something again?"  
  
In answer, Matt gave him a serious look. Tai understood. Matt slowly made his way over to where Tonai had lay down * his * spear, picking it up gingerly. He nodded towards Tonai.  
  
Tai understood. It was as if they had a secret language. "Tonai, I think we should go." He said kindly.  
  
Tonai looked up weakly. She looked into Tai's face than her face broke in a small whimper and she gave him a deep hug. "Your awake." She said softly.  
  
Tai nodded and hugged her back. "Tonai," He said again pulling her back so her could see her face. He wiped two salty tears from her face. He was a bit confused, but most of all worried. What had happened here? But than he remembered the look Matt had given to him. It wasn't safe to be here anymore. . . wherever here was.  
  
"Tonai, we have to leave now." He said looking directly in her eyes. Hopefully she would understand what he meant by that. She looked up at him sadly. "But. . . my village. . ." She said weakly.  
  
Tai looked around shocked at the charred ruble for the first time. Her village? This was her village? His heart immediately became heavy. Poor Tonai. "This is your village?"  
  
Tonai nodded. Tai nodded faintly as well. "I'm sorry. . . but we. . . we have to go. It's not safe here." Tonai looked up towards Matt who was scanning the ruble intensely. Something in his manner was different. Something she hadn't seen in him before. Than she realized what it was.  
  
He was nervous. Very nervous.  
  
She turned back to Tai in understanding and nodded. Tai helped her up.  
  
Matt spoke from where he stood. "Lets go you guys."  
  
Tai and Tonai both nodded and started walking when suddenly a piece of ruble crumbled to the left of them. They whirled around to discover that nothing was there.  
  
Matt slowly backed up following Tai and Tonai, his spear at the ready. Tai cautiously hunched to the ground and in one swift movement picked up a thick piece of wood from one of the ruble piles. Every muscle in his body was twitching.  
  
Something in the air wasn't quite right. . . It was like just before a storm.  
  
. . .  
  
silence.  
  
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silence  
  
. . .  
  
breathing.  
  
A black blur leapt from behind one pile of ruble to another, red eyes piercing from its depths.  
  
"RUUUUUUN!!!" Matt shouted.  
  
(Drums start pulsing right around now)  
  
The trio spun around and ran for their lives. Seconds later fifteen * black blurs * burst form the surrounding ruble, in each one blood red daggers.  
  
They had been surrounding them! Matt realized in fear. Fortunately, they hadn't given them the chance to surround them all the way. Two blurry 'beasts' jumped into the trio's path. Tonai screamed in fear. Without hesitation Tai swung the charred piece of wood into one of the beasts.  
  
It exploded into splinters. The wood had been damaged by the fires. "Shit!" Tai shouted. But the hit had hurt the beast anyway. It howled in pain. The howl sent knives threw Tai's ears. It was so loud. . . and cold.  
  
Matt swung his spear at the other beast sending it backwards and into a pile of ruble. He was a bit more successful. "Hurry!" He screamed and the trio began running once more.  
  
Suddenly the fifteen beasts burst into a run after them with a wild frenzy of excited howls and beady eyes set on meat. The hunt always ran.  
  
"What the hell are those!" screamed Tai.  
  
Tonai shook her head is dismay as they continued their mad dash for survival. "I don't know! When the Dark Lord attack he didn't have those- those * things *."  
  
They ran furiously threw the streets of the deserted city, the black beasts close behind them. Suddenly three more jumped out from behind a building. Tai, Matt and Tonai skidded to a stop, Tonai narrowly missing getting her head nipped off.  
  
Matt rammed the butt end of his spear into the beasts head sending it back pedaling for a moment. They took this opportunity to run like hell the other way.  
  
"Well," Tai took a gasp of air. "Whatever they are they're not exactly friendly!!!"  
  
Two more beasts could be seen charging down the road in front of them. Tai, Matt and Tonai took a desperate run to the right. The original beasts were close on their tails.  
  
Suddenly something occurred to Matt. "Shit! They're herding us!"  
  
"What?!?" Tai yelled.  
  
"They keep blocking us off on some path ways!" Matt gasped for air, "And letting us run down others! They * want * us to go that way!" Matt said pointing straight.  
  
"Well I'm damn well not going to give the what they want!" Tai yelled. In one swift movement he swept up a big rock that had fallen form a disintegrating building.  
  
"What are you doing?" Tonai asked.  
  
Two more beasts jumped from behind a building and one met with a very unhappy Tai. Tai hurled the rock straight at the beasts head and caught it off guard, scoring a direct hit. Catching on Matt banged his spear into the second beast and saved Tonai from being scratched by the third with a well placed kick. Tai fished the job with another rock and they were off once more.  
  
The beasts were stunned, but not for long.  
  
Five beasts were charging down the street behind them now, the other fifteen were probably larking around a corner, Matt guessed. Even so with that little maneuver they had thrown the beasts off. . . for now.  
  
It hadn't been three minutes until they encountered the same plans with the beasts! One thing was for sure, these black hearted beasts were smart.  
  
"Damnit!" Matt swore.  
  
"How the hell do we get these things off our backs!" Tai shouted in annoyance.  
  
"Off our backs?" Tonai yelled back.  
  
"A figure of speech!"  
  
"Tonai!" Matt yelled, "Do you recognize any of these buildings?" He said waving a mad hand at the half standing remnants of once grand structures that lined the streets.  
  
Tonai nodded. "This was the market area! Its not that far away from the forests edge!"  
  
"Which ways that?"  
  
Tonai pointed left. "Alright than that's the way we're going!"  
  
Tai and Matt burst threw another two beasts that were guarding a road, but this time there was a second row of beasts as defense. These creatures never make the same mistake twice, Tai realized.  
  
The second row of beasts caught them by surprise and one managed to rip into Matt's left shirt sleeve. The wicked claw only grazed his skin but it hurt like hell.  
  
"Shit! You alright!" Tai yelled as he kicked the third, and final beast.  
  
Matt winced but nodded, "Yeah, lets go!"  
  
Five minutes later the charred buildings were beginning to thin out, unfortunately, this also left Matt, Tai and Tonai open for attack! Matt looked over and saw directly opposite him about sixty feet one of the black beasts.  
  
"RUN FASTER!!!" He shouted. Tai and Tonai did as they were told.  
  
Than they were in the forest. Trees branches and low hanging vines caused many a scratch as the trio made their mad dash.  
  
Suddenly they burst out into a clearing. Ahead of them, in the trees stood six beasts, foaming at the mouth. Tai could swear he saw a smile on one of them.  
  
They halted in the middle of the clearing their breathing coming in short gasps. Five more beasts were coming out of the forest to their left, four more to their right, and five in back.  
  
They were surround.  
  
(About here is where the drums stop ^_^)  
  
"Damn." Tai whispered under his breath. The growling beasts were slowly moving forwards. . . for the kill.  
  
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Several miles underground, two powers sensed who they had been waiting for. They came to life.  
  
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"Matt. . . if you have any bright ideas, now would be a great time to share." Tai said aloud.  
  
"Ha ha," Matt said his breath coming out in short, clenched gasps. Damn that hit from that beast really hurt, "Very funny." He managed to say.  
  
"I was being serious."  
  
Matt let out a genuine laugh at this.  
  
The beasts moved in closer. Matt's smile faded fast. Tonai shivered from her vantage point between Matt and Tai. Was it really going to end like this? Had she made a mistake following these two men? What had it brought her. . . a closer death. She shivered again.  
  
"Tai, I just want to say, I love yah man. Your like a brother to me." Matt said seriously.  
  
( Think what you will of this statement, I don't much care, but know that it was * meant * as a totally heterosexual statement. Meaning: no I'm sorry there will be no Taito in this Fic. Sorry for any of you that wanted it ::sweatdrops:: I just cant write that stuff.)  
  
"Same goes for me Matt. We've been threw some hard times but-"  
  
Tai's words were cut off by a loud dong sounds.  
  
The circling crowd of beasts let out a loud howl of pure agony.  
  
"What tha'. . ."  
  
Suddenly a blue light sprang up from the ground beneath their feet and engulfed Matt. "Matt-" Tai didn't have time to even react before he too was engulfed by a light as well, this one orange.  
  
Tonai stepped back in shock what was going on?  
  
The lights became so great that she was forced to close her eyes. She fell to the ground crying out in fear, surly the world was ending!  
  
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Matt opened his eyes slowly to be greeted by a white light. "Wha. . ." One moment he was in a clearing about to be eaten by God only knows what and than he's here. . . in this . . . bright place.  
  
In a flash of orange Tai was at his side. "Tai!"  
  
"Matt!"  
  
"What the hell happened?" they both asked each other at the same time.  
  
"chosen" Came a voice. It didn't really seem to be a female or a male voice. . . it was a neutral sound, yet warm. The strange thing was they couldn't decide where the hell it was coming from. It just * was * there.  
  
"Who are you?" Matt asked taking a step forward.  
  
"chosen. control your elements."  
  
Than the voice was gone.  
  
Suddenly Tai felt something in his hand. It wasn't exactly heavy per say. . . but it felt as if it should be. He looked down to discover a spear. It was of an ever changing color, never staying the same color for more than a few moments.  
  
He looked over to Matt and discovered he was holding a sword, mush the same color as his own. On both weapons a small insignia was placed. Their crests, only different. Around each of their respective crests was an odd design of gold and silver. It was indescribably beautiful, but held a sense of great power at the same time.  
  
Matt and Tai looked into each others eyes with confusion and than all at once, they were back in the forest, about to get eaten.  
  
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The Dark Lord sat in his thrown room, looking out on the scene that was unfolding. So the Kayi went against his wishes again.  
  
He slowly sat back in his chair. No matter. It can be fixed. He twitched his hand slightly, and the message was sent.  
  
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It took only a few moments for the light to fad away and than the two men were standing in front of Tonai once more, holding weapons that shimmered.  
  
Tonai stared in disbelief. Was this really happening? Wait, better question, what was happening?  
  
The two men looked at each other than to their weapons. They held confusion on their faces. Suddenly the whimpering beasts turned even blacker. Their eyes flashed black for a moment, so black that their bodies seem to merge with their eyes, but their eyes soon grew blood red again.  
  
They let out a renewed howl, full of hatred. They were hunting for blood tonight, and they were going to get it!  
  
They lurched towards the two men as one body. Tonai let out a scream and covered her face, but the beasts went right past her. They had their sights set on something much greater than a mere girl. Two something's to be exact.  
  
Matt's eyes bulged in fright. "Oh boy." All twenty beasts were coming at them at once! One jumped at his face. He lifted his sword as protection but before the beast had even come near the sword it dispersed in a howling burst of black smoke. Matt stared in disbelief but had little time to think about this because another beast was coming up behind him.  
  
Tai was discovering the exact same ability with his spear. When ever the spear came any where near the beast it would go up in literally a puff of smoke!!!  
  
Six, Seven, Eight beasts down.  
  
They made short work of the rest. Matt and Tai stood in a dispersing cloud of smoke, eyes wide. This was. . . different. . .  
  
Tonai stared in incomprehension. After several moments of silence, and after the smoke had cleared, the boys weapons gave off an intense light, and than they were plain.  
  
Well, perhaps plain is the wrong word. Their weapons were still the most beautiful masteries of defense and craftsmanship that anyone had ever seen, yet they were no longer a undefined color. They were the colors of a normal sword and a normal spear.  
  
If any one were to look at them with out having seen the events that had just transpired they might pass them off for normal weapons, if not very well crafted.  
  
Matt and Tai were suddenly overwhelmed by exhaustion and they flopped down onto the ground.  
  
"Holy Crap." Matt said weakly.  
  
"Yeah, that's about what I was thinking." Tai said with a slight snicker.  
  
Tonai ran to them. "What-what just happened?"  
  
Matt and Tai just shook their heads. "We don't quite know ourselves." Tai said with a laugh.  
  
Matt lay down on his back, he was so tired. He let out a yawn.  
  
Tai laughed. "Tired are we?" Tai looked back to his weapon. What was it? And what was that voice all about? The voice's words echoed in his ears. "chosen, control your element."  
  
Tai looked back to * his * spear. Was * this * his element? "Hey Matt, what you think thes-" He turned around to see Matt had fallen asleep. Tai was about to wake him when Tonai's hand stopped him. She shook her head with a warm smile.  
  
"Let him sleep. He more than deserves it. You know he carried you for nearly three hours after you fell unconscious." She looked down fondly at him.  
  
Tai looked at Matt as well, in admiration. He gave a quiet laugh at his slumbering friend. "K. I think I can do that." He than smiled up at Tonai and his face turned to concern. "Are you alright. I mean, well. . . with leaving?"  
  
Tonai smiled warmly at Tai and nodded firmly. "What I have seen this day gives me more than enough reason."  
  
"Yeah but reason is-" Tonai stopped him.  
  
"Tai, I * want * to do this. I believe in you, I believe in the power you possess-"  
  
"I wouldn't say power-"  
  
"I have made the right decision." She said with a smile. Tai nodded than looked up at Tonai. She was truly beautiful, with her gentle curls, and her sweet eyes. . .  
  
"Uh-" Where had that come from? "Um we-should go. The 'Dark Lord' might send more of those * things * and I don't exactly want to be around when they show up."  
  
Tonai nodded, and Tai went over to the slumbering Matt to pick him up. Tai let out a slight laugh, "Guess its my turn to carry you huh." He said to Matt.  
  
And Tai and Tonai walked out of the clearing.  
  
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Far below, a being smiled warmly. The chosen had finally come.  
  
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The Dark Lord's eyes glared with anger. He had under estimated the two 'children's' powers, but not again. No, not again.  
  
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What'd you guys think of these new powers? Did yah think they were awesome? Think they were cool? Think they were corny? Think they were just * way * too predictable?  
  
Well I hope you didn't think * to * badly of them. But if you did never fear. . . Batman is here. Heh wait no I meant: Never Fear these powers aren't what they might first appear. ^_^  
  
Ok well anyway this is going to be my last update for at least two weeks because I'm going away but don't worry, I'm bring a pen and a pad of paper with me so when I get back all I have to do is type it up. ^_^ Yup that's right, I'm getting back to the basics.  
  
Yup. . . no internet access. . . no Microsoft word. . . just me and a pen. . . with no connection with the out side world. . . ::eye twitches::  
  
. . . it'll be . . . *great *. . .  
  
lol  
  
So any way, stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Merge.  
  
PREVEIW OF NEXT CHAPTER:  
  
Another city, another fight, another. . .friend? Maybe. Or maybe not. . . Ah yes. The ever popular vagueness. ::smiles::  
  
Sit Ubu Sit  
  
Reion  
  
07/31/03 


	11. Flukes

CHAPTER 11!!!!  
  
O_O eck. I kinda took a long time in typing this I know. ::sweatdrops:: But I had major writers block and I was tired from my trip and than I had to finish all the summer homework that I forgot to do and now only have a week to finish. ::gulp:: any way!!!  
  
I took this chapter a totally different direction-at least I think I did. Tell me if I went a wee bit over board. Well all and all I hope you like it! And I'll try my very, very, very hardest to update sooner from now on!!!  
  
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Cold red and yellow eyes stared out from a sickening pale. The chosen had stopped moving. Good. The Dark Lord twisted his neck ever so slightly to the left and from the ground behind him a piecing red light sprang up. Seconds later a kneeling figure dressed in reds and blacks shimmered into view than solidified.  
  
"Yes my Lord."  
  
The Dark Lord twisted his neck back into place with a slight crack of bone. The thrown upon which he perched slowly slide around until the Dark Lord was facing his servant. He raised his head ever so slightly, looking thru his two yellow and red slits. The moon light flashed upon his face for an instant showing his bonny checks and cracked lips, his piercing cat eyes and deathly white skin.  
  
The light was than gone.  
  
The Dark Lord, now in his element, raised a shadowed hand and from it a flame burst forth. In it, the faces of two new enemies flickered.  
  
The servant bowed his head in understanding, as soon as he had done so the red light sprang from the ground and he left just as he had come.  
  
The Dark Lord turned slowly round his thrown once more until he was facing his original direction. He closed his eyes for a second, than opened them again, and they flashed with flame.  
  
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It was several hours until Tai and Tonai decided it was safe. Tai laid Matt out and after making sure that the immediate area was secure and that Tonai would be safe he went in search of fire wood, which wasn't especially hard being that they were in the middle of a very dense forest. Within ten minutes he was back.  
  
Tonai was just finishing up with Matt's shoulder by this time.  
  
"How is he?" Tai asked as he came up from behind her.  
  
"The cut reopened his wound from the first day we found him. Luckily, its not that deep. If we keep it bandaged it should heal within a few weeks. They'll be a scar though." She replied.  
  
"Weeks." Tai said soberly.  
  
"No more than two." Tonai added quickly.  
  
Tai nodded. He felt a bit nauseated at all that had happened in the last couple of hours. He had suddenly gotten his memory back, been than immediately chased by a pack of what could only be described as 'beasts' and than when he was about to be torn to pieces he'd been whisked away to a 'white place' and given a magical spear that glows and can apparently kill 'beasts' thus saving the day.  
  
It reminded him too much of a twisted fairy tale. Only in fairy tales, his friend doesn't get hurt.  
  
He looked back to the slumbering Matt. He would be ok, he's just sleeping, he told himself trying to calm his ragging nerves. Everything was happening so fast, to fast. If only Augumon was here. Matt wouldn't have gotten hurt if Augumon had been there.  
  
Speaking of Augumon, where was he? In fact, where were any Digimon in general? Was he even in the digiworld? Tai shook his head, no. He couldn't be in the Digiworld. Those beasts back there hadn't turned into data when they were killed--although dispersing into black mist is defiantly not a run-of-the-mill * thing * either.  
  
So if he wasn't in the digiworld. . . where was he?  
  
"Tonai," she turned he head towards him.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Where did you say we were again?"  
  
"We are now in the forests of Estar. We should arrive at Charnai mid day tomorrow if we keep a good pace."  
  
"Charnai?" that sure wasn't a place on earth. So that would mean. . .  
  
"-the city I was telling you about. It is-or was at least a very large city, much more so than my village. I do no believe the Dark Lord could have . . . destroyed it as easily."  
  
"So you think its still there?"  
  
"It's a fairly good guess."  
  
Tai took a deep breath, "Ok well, we'll stay here for the night. Wait for sleeping beauty here to wake up." He nodded towards Matt.  
  
Confusion crossed Tonai's face for a moment than she shook her head deciding not to question, "I'll go find some food now." Tonai said, standing up from he position near Matt.  
  
"-you'll go?" Tai asked startled.  
  
"Yes, is that alright?"  
  
"Well, yeah but what if-"  
  
"Do not worry. I will be careful, and besides, I need some time to think."  
  
Tai nodded in understanding. "Right."  
  
Tonai nodded, promising to be back in no less than ten minutes. Tai agreed and Tonai disappeared into the forest. Tai set about building the fire-not to large as to attract unwanted attention, but large enough that it would give off heat. From what he had felt of the weather outside the caves, it was going to be a chilly night.  
  
He was half way thru the building of the fire when Matt let out a soft moan.  
  
Matt opened his eyes to be looking up at green leaves. He let a involuntary yawn cross his lips and blinked a few times, trying to push the sleep from his eyes. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was after the battle. He had laid down for just a second and-  
  
"Hello sleepy head."  
  
Matt turned a groggy head over to the direction of the voice to discover Tai coming towards him. Matt's eye brows twisted in confusion. "Where. . .where are we? What happened?"  
  
"Aw don't tell me you have amnesia too." Tai joked. Matt smiled warmly. "Yeah fell asleep after the battle. It's been about five hours. You were pretty out of it." Tai answered coming to take a seat next to Matt.  
  
"The battle." Matt said gravely.  
  
Tai reached behind him rustling for something for a moment than brang his hand back in it the sword Matt had mysteriously received during the battle. "Here, thought it might be important." He handed it to Matt who weakly pushed himself up just enough to grasp it.  
  
Matt smiled admiring he sword for a moment. "Thanks man."  
  
"No prob." They were silent for a moment when the question finally crossed Tai's lips. "So what do you think these things are meant to do?" He now held his spear in his hands.  
  
Matt shook his head. "I don't know. . . but judging by that light they created. . . and that 'voice'-these aren't exactly ordinary weapons."  
  
Tai agreed. "That's for sure."  
  
They sat for a moment in silence until Tai spoke again. "How you think we made um' glow?"  
  
Matt shook his head, "I have no idea. All I know is it sucked the energy right outta me."  
  
"Yeah, same here." Tai stretched his hand out in front of him holding the spear.  
  
"What are you doing?" "Trying something," He said distracted, he than shouted, "Glow." in a semi- commanding, semi-comical voice. Nothing happened. "Glow!" He said again. Still nothing.  
  
Matt let out a slight laugh, "Somehow I have a feeling that's not gonna work."  
  
Tai nodded with a shrug, "Worth a try."  
  
Just than Matt realized something. "Hey, where's Tonai?"  
  
"Oh," Tai said pulling himself away from gazing at the spear, "Uh she went to go get some food."  
  
"You let her go off alone!?!" Matt said, anger filling his voice. "What if the beasts come back and she's attacked? She would be-"  
  
"Matt," Tai said raising a hand, "Calm down, okay. She's not that far away."  
  
"Tai-the beasts could still be out there or something even worse, we have to go-"  
  
"Matt," Tai said pushing Matt back as he tried to get up. "What you need to do is get some rest. You still haven't recovered from the Kamar, and don't lie to me, and tell me you have." He said quickly as Matt opened his mouth to protest. "You've been thru a lot, and we still don't know what the effects of our little 'light show' back there are. I mean I'm exhausted, I can only imagine how you feel. So get some rest-get more rest," He corrected himself.  
  
"You still shouldn't have let her go out there alone. Its too dangerous-"  
  
"Matt! What was I supposed to do?" Tai said throwing up his arms, "I mean, I don't know what the food around her looks like, for all I know I could be bringing back poison. She knows the lay of the land, she knows what the food looks like, and she * can * defend herself, thank you very much- remember those drummers. I'm sorry but it just made more sense in her going."  
  
Matt let out an exasperated but defeated sigh. "Okay fine, but from now on- just-we shouldn't be alone. None of us should. I mean, the drummers were human, but those beasts back there defiantly weren't. I just think it would be safer if we all stuck together, that's all."  
  
Tai nodded, "I understand, and you have a good point." They were silent for a moment than Tai looked up at Matt with a mischievous smirk written across his face, "So why the sudden interest in Tonai?"  
  
"What do you mean." Matt said casting a cautious look towards Tai.  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"She's a friend and uh I-I was just interested in her uh uh-her safety, be-- because she's a friend-she's a friend." Matt's face was now strawberry red.  
  
"Sure she is." Tai said laughing at the * ever * composed Matt Iesha. (did I spell that right?)  
  
"No no! I-no no I. Um well I've only known her for a couple days and I-I mean I want her to-I want her to be safe-that's all. Its not like * that *. Its not what you think. . . I think. Is it like really loud here?"  
  
"Stop trying to change the subject ," Tai said with a grin. Matt gave Tai a dangerous look. Tai laughed sheepishly. "Heh heh."  
  
'He's fallen for her,' Tai thought with a slight snicker, but another feeling nagged at his mind. What was it?  
  
"I have not." Matt said sullenly, rubbing his temples.  
  
"Have not what?" Tai asked confused.  
  
"Fallen for her, I have not! I mean, yeah she's pretty and nice and saved our ass's once or twice but I just-"  
  
"-Matt," Tai said seriously. "How did you know I was thinking that?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Matt said mid sentence.  
  
"Matt, I didn't say you'd 'fallen for her' * out loud *."  
  
Matt looked at Tai oddly. "Well than where'd I hear your voice?"  
  
"I was thinking it." Tai said in shock.  
  
"What?!? Is this your idea of a joke, have you been like taking ventriloquist classes without me knowing or something-cause I could have sworn you said 'he's fallen for her.' It was as clear as day-"  
  
"I'm not joking Matt. I really was * thinking * it."  
  
"So. . . so what I * read you mind? *" Matt said in a half sarcastic, half confused voice. Tai shrugged just as confused. "No. No I couldn't have. -It's impossible."  
  
"-Apparently not."  
  
Matt looked at Tai for a long moment. "Think of something." He said softly, "Maybe I can do it again."  
  
"I thought you said it was impossible-"  
  
"Hey, stop being a smart ass and do it." Matt said seriously.  
  
Tai let out an uncomfortable sigh and than began thinking of. . . ice cream. Rocky Road, NO! cookies and Cream. Yeah cookies and cream-oh but than there's chocolate with peanut butter swirls-  
  
"Nothin'," Matt said throwing up his hands after a minute of silence.  
  
". . . maybe it was just a fluke." Tai suggested.  
  
"A fluke? A fluke as big as * reading minds*. I don't think so." He said with the slightest snort.  
  
"Well how else can we explain it."  
  
Matt shook his head. "I dun know. I-I just don't know." Matt rubbed his eyes with his hands. They sat in silence for a short moment when all of the sudden they both heard rustling of bushes, and a figure could be seen coming towards them thru the forest. The two friends tensed for a moment until the figure finally showed itself.  
  
"Tonai!" Tai said, as she pushed passed the last remaining tree limbs. In her hands she carried a variety of fruits.  
  
"I found many fruits-Yamato is awake!"  
  
"Hey I thought I told you my name was Matt." Matt said with a slight smile.  
  
Tonai smiled. "I am sorry, I am accustom to calling you Yamato."  
  
"Eh, that's alright I guess." Matt said with a laugh.  
  
"Are you feeling better. . . Matt" Tonai said laying the fruits down for a moment and going over to Matt carefully readjusting the bandages around his shoulder where the cut had been reopened.  
  
"Well I was until you reminded me of the arm." Matt said with a grown. Tonai let out a soft laugh and once she was done with the bandaged turned towards Tai once more.  
  
"Let us eat now. I am sure that both of you are very hungry."  
  
Tai grinned ear to ear. "Thought you'd never say that! Woo Hoo Dinner at last!" This brought on laughs from both Tonai and Matt.  
  
Suddenly the staff and the sword began to glow but this glow quickly faded away. "That's odd. . ." Matt said  
  
"I wonder why it did that." Tai said, than he laughed, "Maybe me saying 'glow' paid off."  
  
"Heh I doubt it." Matt picked up the now non-glowing sword once more. "Well seems to be back to normal. Must have been a fluke."  
  
"A fluke. I don't know we've been having one to many 'flukes' lately." Tai said with a serious laugh.  
  
"I know what you mean." Matt said with the same seriousness.  
  
Tonai looked confused. "Fluke? I do not know this word."  
  
Matt and Tai looked at each other for a moment, and than deciding by some invisible connection between them Matt said, "Its not important. Lets eat."  
  
In truth, it was important, but Tonai didn't need to know. It wasn't that they didn't trust her. Hell no, she had saved they ass's enough times that if they didn't trust her by now they'd never trust her. The reason why they hadn't told her about the little 'fluke' before was that she had enough to worry about as it was.  
  
She gave up everything to help them, and they didn't want to add on to the list of things-gone-bad. And besides, maybe it * was * just a fluke. Weirder things had happened.  
  
Matt pushed himself into a sitting position, being careful of his arm, and they all gathered around the pile of fruits. The fruits came in all shapes, colors and sizes. It was amazing. There were even some silver fruits, now * that's * something you don't see every day.  
  
Tai chose a fruit that resembled a cross between a banana and a grape.  
  
((A/N I'll give a nickel to anyone who can draw a picture of that for me lol))  
  
He took a bite, being cautious at first, than grinned. This was delicious. He looked around at Matt and Tonai. Tonai was eating a round silver fruit and Matt a-  
  
Colors began to swirl before Tai's eyes. He blinked twice than looked at Matt's fruit again. He could see the out line of the fruit but than he could see inside it, and what he saw scared the shit out of him. He jumped back, dropping his own fruit.  
  
Matt and Tonai looked at him in surprise. "What's the matter Tai?" Matt asked.  
  
Tai pointed at the fruit that Matt held in his hand. "Thing! There's a thing in your fruit!" He pointed desperately at Matt. Couldn't they see it too?  
  
Matt looked at the fruit which he was about to sink his teeth into confusion clouding his face, "What do you mean? I don't see any * thing *?"  
  
"No its there! Cant you see it???" The colors began to swirl in front of his eyes again. He shook his head and when he turned back to face Matt the fruit was back to normal and the * thing * whatever it had been was gone, or at least Tai couldn't see it anymore.  
  
"Tai. . ." Matt said looking down at his fruit in confusion. "What tha. . ." His face grew worried.  
  
"What is it?" Tonai asked.  
  
As Matt watched the surface of the fruit the skin began to cave inward and than a single hairy spiders leg broke the surface. "AW SHIT!" Matt yelled, throwing the fruit up in the air.  
  
The creature ripped free of the fruit, revealing itself. It was a black and brown and resembled a spider except for its thorny wings and the huge stinger on its rear. It hovered in the air for a moment than went to dive bomb Matt.  
  
Matt rolled out of the way, just missing the stinger that flew by this ear. "Oh crap!" He screamed. Unlike a bee, this creatures stinger seemed to grow back instantaneously. As if by magic. And he wasn't shy in using it, because he shot another one, this time at Tonai.  
  
Tai managed to grab hold of Tonai's shirt sleeve, and pulled her out of the way, just in time to save her. She let out a frightened scream grabbing hold of Tai's arm for protection.  
  
The creature swung around for another sweep, and was just coming in for an attach when the weapons (staff and sword) exploded into light again. Without hesitation, Matt grabbed his sword and swung it like a base ball bat at the creature.  
  
The creature was flung back in a ball of black smoke, and was gone.  
  
Matt stopped to catch his breath than turned around to face Tai. "How-"  
  
"A fluke." Tai said looking into Matt's eyes. "An X-ray fluke."  
  
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````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Flukes? Or something more. Its all in the next exciting chapter of: Merge.  
  
Sorry again for taking so long in posting this!!! Anyway, I hope you guys like the way I'm taking this story. I went back and forth and back and forth with this but finally I decided to just get it over with and give the 'boys' the 'powers.'  
  
I'm trying my * very * best to not go over board with this, slap me if I do or did though!!! ::eyes bulge as reader actually takes her advice:: EEE! I TAKE IT BACK NO SLAPIE NO SLAPIE!!! -but Flames, Indifferent comments, and Compliments are still welcome ^_^  
  
. . . just not slaps. . . ::shivers and scoots away from reader::  
  
Ah yes and so ends my first and * only * review promotion. But seriously, Here's where I thank everyone that's reviewed:  
  
Ok #1 on my list is Litanya. You have been so supportive and helpful in your reviewing and everything like that ::heh makes me fell special:: so I really think you deserve a special thank you. Ok so. . . special thank you!!! ^_^ ::claps and throws confetti::  
  
#2 Blackout12: your reviews kind of scared me at first, but they also inspired me to be more aware of my writing. So you deserve a special thank you too!!! So. . . special thank you!!! ::claps and throws confetti::  
  
#3 Everyone else that have reviewed. You guys really keep writing this fresh and lively for me ::god I have no life:: Any way I'd just like to give you all a very special thanks so. . . SPECIAL THANKS!!! ::claps, throws confetti, and hands out party favors to all the guests::  
  
THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT CHICAGO!!!  
  
::theme song comes in::  
  
chapter 12 coming soon. . . oh so soon. . . ::laughs like a crazed maniac, which in fact is exactly what she is::  
  
::screen fads out::  
  
Sit ubu sit.  
  
Reion  
  
08/23/03 


	12. So close, yet so far

CHAPTER 12!!!  
  
Hey Folks. Put a lot of talking in this one because I just wanted a change. Plus I introduce two new characters!!! YEY! Hope you like it! ^_^  
  
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A figure sat in the shadows of the tree tops, a wisp of long black hair falling across his face. Suddenly a black and brown creature, half spider, half hornet flew towards him with an unholy air of determination.  
  
The figure held out his hand calling to the creature, and the miniature beast flew to its masters hand eager to report. It buzzed once than replayed the recent events it had witnessed in holographic form.  
  
". . . A fluke, an X-Ray fluke." The creature buzzed again and than ended its recorded memory.  
  
The dark figure smiled, but did not show teeth, "It seems the Chosen are not as strong as their made out to be." He paused, "They'll be easily crushed." The figure clenched his hand with sickening intent, smothering the ignorant creature than snapping it's bones. The creature squealed for a moment, drawing its last black breath, than succumbed to the fists power.  
  
The figure reopened his hand and looked at the creatures remains with a face of disgust, than thru the lifeless mush to the ground.  
  
He looked towards the direction the now deceased creature had come, "Sleep now Chosen," He smiled this time showing his teeth, "And in the morning, we'll play."  
  
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"What do you think it was?"  
  
"I don't even wanna guess." Tai said shaking his head.  
  
"Tonai, have you ever seen one of those things?"  
  
Tonai shook her head, "They are of no creature that I know."  
  
"Alright, than what is it?"  
  
"Correction, * was * it." Matt said tapping his sword.  
  
" I still don't want to guess."  
  
"Well that doesn't help us, Tai."  
  
"Hey, * you * wanna take a guess at what the hell that thing was, be my guest, but I doubt you'll do any better than me."  
  
"What do you mean 'do better than you,' you didn't do anything. In fact, you didn't even take a guess at it, you said you 'didn't want to.'"  
  
"Yeah, well * you * try guessing at what it was."  
  
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS!"  
  
"YEAH, WELL THAN DON'T YELL AT ME!"  
  
The two stared at each other for a long moment, both frustrated. Tonai took a cautious step between the two angry friends. "Please, we shouldn't fight over this." She said worried.  
  
"We're not fighting." Matt said with a distracted shake of his head.  
  
"You could have fooled me." Tonai said.  
  
The two friends looked at each other than sighed, "Sorry Matt, I'm just frustrated."  
  
"Same here, and dido on the sorry." They stood for a moment than Matt continued, "Its just that, everything is happening so fast that," He exhaled, "I just. . . cant make sense of it anymore."  
  
Tai smiled sadly, "I can relate."  
  
Matt continued, "And with this reading minds and X-Ray stuff-it just makes it even more confusing." Matt brought his hands up to rub his eyes.  
  
"Hey man, I totally understand, and I feel the same way." Matt and Tai looked up at each other than they both smiled and shook hands than pulled each other in to a hug, ( no not a girly hug, one of those manly-man hugs guys do ::glares::)  
  
"Thanks man," Matt said pulling away from Tai, "And uh sorry again about yelling at you."  
  
Tai smiled, "Eh, don't mention it, brought back old memories-good memories I might add."  
  
Matt laughed, "You call me yelling at you 'good memories?'" Tai laughed.  
  
Tonai cut in, very confused, "-Wait a minute, reading minds? X-Ray? When did this happen? And what is an X-Ray?"  
  
Matt and Tai turned towards Tonai sheepishly, "I guess we have some explaining to do."  
  
Tonai nodded strongly.  
  
Matt scratched his head, "Yeah. . . "  
  
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"Izzy, how long is this gonna take?"  
  
"Give me a second will yah!"  
  
"We did." T.K said a hint of annoyance on the edge of his voice, "And we gave you many seconds, in fact we gave you two hours worth of seconds."  
  
"Hey, I never said this was going to be easy."  
  
"Yes you did. I believe your exact words were, 'It's easy, the Internet code.'"  
  
"Ok, Ok so maybe I did, but give me a break here. Hacking into AOL is not exactly preschool work. They have fire walls everywhere."  
  
"Wait wait wait" Joe said waving his arms in the air, "You hacked into * AOL *? Do you know how much trouble we could get into?"  
  
(Yeah I know AOL American On Line but I didn't know if Japan has like JOL Japan On Line so I didn't want to just create my own internet thing. ::sweatdrops:: Tell me if you have any info on this.)  
  
Izzy shrugged, than Sora asked suspiciously, "Just how exactly did you do * that * Izzy?"  
  
Izzy gave a wild grin, "You'd be better off if you didn't know."  
  
Joe turned green.  
  
"So. . . how much longer?" T.K asked casually.  
  
"T.K" The group moaned.  
  
"What its almost nine!?! I have a right to know!!!"  
  
Izzy was silent for a moment than-" SUCCESS!"  
  
The group jumped backwards in surprise by this sudden excitement. "You got it?" Kari asked excited.  
  
"Yup," Izzy said a proud smile on his face.  
  
Sora patted his back, "Don't know how you did it Izzy, but I'm glad you did."  
  
"Well don't thank me yet. It still has to work." Izzy began typing on the key board than sat back. "Ok we talk into this," he said pointing to the speaker.  
  
"But it's a speaker."  
  
"Yeah so?"  
  
"You rigged the speaker to be a microphone?"  
  
"Yeah," Izzy said innocently.  
  
"How-"  
  
"--Better left unknown. What should we say?"  
  
"-to Matt and Tai?"  
  
"Yes Matt and Tai!!! Who else would we be talking to?"  
  
"Well it was kind of confusing."  
  
Izzy sweatdroped, "Whatever, I'll just say something. . . Tai? Matt? Can you hear me?"  
  
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"So you think that the weapons have something to do with you having your powers?" Tonai asked.  
  
"Well, it's the only way to explain it. I mean I would have noticed if I had these powers before than wouldn't I?"  
  
"I guess." Tonai nodded.  
  
"Well than, why do we have them?" Matt asked to no one in particular.  
  
"To fight the Dark Lord." Tonai said excitedly. "You must be the ones from the legend!"  
  
"Excuse me," Matt said dubiously, "The 'legend'?"  
  
"Yes-the elders used to speak of it, they'd teach it to the young in my village."  
  
"Well. . . what'd it say?"  
  
"I do not remember the words exactly, but I remember it spoke of a time when our world and many others would be in darkness. It was said that two warriors who could wield light as a weapon would come to vanquish the Darkness and free the worlds that are captive."  
  
"Sounds like us." Matt said under his breath.  
  
"So ok, where does, reading minds and seeing thru things come in?" Tai asked.  
  
Tonai spoke, "The elders said that the two warriors would have great powers in the senses, which could suggest your abilities to read minds and see through things."  
  
"Hearing and sight."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Does the legend say anything else?" Matt asked, "Like maybe how we're supposed to go about destroying the 'Darkness' cause that would make things a heck of a lot easier."  
  
"No I am sorry-It did say that the warriors would be swift as the wind, and aided by many friends."  
  
Tai took a deep breath and let it out, "So that's why we were sent here? To kill the Dark Lord."  
  
"If you are the two warriors from legend, yes." Tonai answered.  
  
"Great." Matt said sarcastically, "Least we know why we're here." Matt rubbed his eyes, he was so tired.  
  
~Tai? Matt? Can you hear me?~  
  
Matt froze, than took a shaky breath and said, "Did you just hear that?"  
  
"The 'Tai. Matt. Can you hear me?'"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Alright than yes."  
  
Matt let out a sigh of relief. "Good, thought I was having another mind reading * thing *."  
  
~Hello? Can you hear me? It's Izzy?~  
  
"Izzy-Izzy!!! Yes we can hear you!" Tai yelled.  
  
"Whose Izzy?" Tonai asked confused.  
  
~Matt or Tai if your there please respond.~  
  
"-He cant hear us!" Matt said desperately.  
  
"Where the hell is he?" Tai said looking around, than he turned towards Matt. "I think his voice is coming from you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah, just listen."  
  
~Matt Tai please say something.~  
  
"My digivice!" Matt exclaimed. He ripped his shirt up revealing his digivices latched on to his belt.  
  
"YES! I KNEW THOSE THINGS WOULD COME IN HANDY!" Tai cried excitedly.  
  
"I must have put it on this morning-or that morning-or who cares I have it!" Matt pulled his digivices off and started talking into it, "Izzy-Izzy can you hear me? It's Matt. Tai's here too. We're-"  
  
~If your there please answer me.~  
  
"He still cant hear us!" Tai said desperately.  
  
"NO! NO IZZY! WE'RE HERE! WE'RE HERE!" Matt shouted along with Tai.  
  
The digivices went dead and no more sound came out. "No God Damnit. Izzy! Come back!" Matt said shaking the digivice in frustration. After five minutes, he slumped to the ground. "Its no use," he said laying his digivice on the ground. "We can hear him, but he cant hear us."  
  
Tai slumped down next to Matt, just as frustrated.  
  
"Who is Izzy?" Tonai asked, now very confused. "And how did that thing speak?" She asked pointing to the digivice.  
  
Matt hung his head, "It's a digivice."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore," he said sadly, "It didn't work."  
  
"Maybe he'll talk again." Tai said hopefully.  
  
Matt let out a sigh, "Well what good would that do? He still wouldn't be able to hear us, so he'll have no way of knowing we're * here * wherever * here * is."  
  
"We'll find a way." Tai said optimistically.  
  
"Well what if we don't?" Matt asked, "What if we're stuck here forever."  
  
Tai was silent. He had no answer.  
  
Tonai licked her lips. "Well would that be such a bad thing? I mean, you could always travel back to your village. I could arrange for a horse-"  
  
"No. . ." Matt sighed, "Thanks Tonai, but you don't understand. We're not from here."  
  
"Yes, I know but you could always travel back to where you came from."  
  
"No, I mean we're not from * here *" Matt said making a hand motion.  
  
"I do not understand." Tonai said confused.  
  
Tai took a deep breath, "Tonai this might seem a bit. . . strange but. . . we're not from this * world *."  
  
Tonai's eyes grew wide. "You are not???"  
  
Tai exhaled uncomfortably, "No. We're not."  
  
"Why did you not tell me?"  
  
"Well," Matt looked at Tai for help, but Tai was just as clueless to the answer as he, "we just. . . Well we tried to tell your father but. . . he wouldn't listen. It's probably why he thought we were demons."  
  
Tonai was silent for a moment than she spoke, "Than this must be very out- of-sorts."  
  
"That's one way of putting it."  
  
"Than I hope. I hope you are able to contact your friend again." She said with a hint of sadness.  
  
"Wait," Matt said, "Your ok with this? I mean, your not scared?"  
  
Tonai shook her head. "No, I have heard much stranger things in the last three years, and besides it said in the legend that you would be form a different world, and it has been right before, so why would it prove false now?"  
  
Tai smiled, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Tai continued after a pause, "Anyway, our dinners ruined, and its getting dark, plus I'm beat, so if there are no objections I'm going to bed."  
  
"Bed, haha I laugh at that." Matt said feeling the hard ground beneath him. Tai made a face than stretched out on the ground. "Whose taking first watch?"  
  
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Boran stood before the elders, "You can not stop me from saving my daughter." He said hotly.  
  
"In that you are wrong, Boran." The lead elder said in a calm and indifferent voice.  
  
"She has been stolen by demons! We can not let them get away with this!"  
  
"She has made her decision Boran, and we have made ours. Under no circumstances are you to send a search party after Tonai."  
  
"But their demons!!!" Boran flared.  
  
"That has yet to be confirmed."  
  
Boran growled in rage and his eyes shadowed in hate, "Why. Why do you torment me so?"  
  
The elder only turned his back on Boran and made for the door. He stopped half way however and said, "Its for the good of all Boran. Trust in our words." And than he flung the tent flap aside and walked out.  
  
Boran banged his fists into a near by table, shaking the objects on top of it violently, "Damn you, damn you demons." In a swift movement he swung his hand over the table, sending the objects finally tumbling to the ground.  
  
"DARNACK!!!" Doran screamed. A tall man in his early twenties walked in through the tent obediently. He was covered in armor and held a great bow at his side.  
  
"Yes your Excellency?" The man said raising a fist to his chest in a salute.  
  
Boran breathed heavily through his rage, "I don't care what those bastards say, find my daughter, and kill those demons."  
  
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Is Darnack a new threat? Who is that dark figure in the trees? Why couldn't Matt or Tai talk to Izzy? And the most important question, will our heroes survive the night? Its all in the next * exciting * chapter of Merge.  
  
::theme song comes in::  
  
::sigh:: yes I know its short but I had put as much as I could into this chapter and it just seemed to come to a natural close. ^_^ Please don't hate me! Heh ^_^ K see yah all soon, and oh yeah VOTE FOR ARNOLD!!! Or should I say ARRRR-NALD. ^_^  
  
bye for now!  
  
Sit Ubu Sit.  
  
Reion  
  
08/26/03 


	13. It wasnt your fault

Hey sorry for this Chapter taking MAJOR amounts of time to get written and posted . Lol I wouldn't be surprised if no one remembers this fic its taken me so long to get this chapter up. HA! I wrote my self into a hole and just yesterday did I figure out something exciting to happen to dig myself out! so any way enough of me talking, you don't come here to read my rants –or maybe you do—you come here to read the story!!!!  
  
Enjoy~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 13: It's not your fault.  
  
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Darnack stood at the entrance to the cave, a few more steps and he'd be out of the place he had called home for the past three years. A few more steps and he'd be back in the old world, back in all the hurt and fear the Dark Lord had caused, back in hell.  
  
Why was he going back? He kept asking himself that question. Only a fool would willingly go back into all that, but in a way he was a fool. A fool that always fallows orders.  
  
He gave a slight heave of his chest, made sure that his bow and arrow was secure, than looked once more at the place he now called home. No one was here to wish him goodbye, that was to be expected, no one was supposed to know he was leaving. Still, he wished Mai was here.  
  
They had grown quite close since they escaped into the caves. He wished Tola, Mai's little sister was here as well. Her childish expressions, and innocent mind could always make him laugh. He would miss them both very much.  
  
He turned back to the cave entrance, Mai would be reading his letter right about now he figured. He smiled ever so slightly, I guess I don't follow orders as well as I thought, but he could trust Mai, and besides, how else was he going to explain his sudden absence except by the truth?  
  
She would understand, he knew.  
  
He stepped into the cave, out of his home, and into hell.  
  
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The sun was just peaking thru the tree limbs as Tai opened his eyes. He let out a tired yawn than let his body stretch. He sat up with a groan and rubbed his back painfully, he had been sleeping on a rock.  
  
The fire was out, and both Matt and Tonai were sound asleep. A thought occurred to Tai, hadn't it been Matt's turn to take watch? He looked closer at the slumbering Matt, he was slumped back on a tree, as if he had fallen asleep sitting up, which most likely he had.  
  
Tai shook his head, he had fallen asleep on his watch. He was going to wake Matt up but than decided against it, he needed all the sleep he could get, might as well do him a favor.  
  
Tai poked at the fire, and after ten minutes of work managed to get it going again. He smiled proudly and sat back. "Hello Tai." A voice said from behind him.  
  
He turned around a bit startled to see Tonai was awake, "Oh hey Tonai, sorry if I woke you."  
  
"No, no, "She shook her head with a smile, "You didn't wake me. I just couldn't sleep anymore."  
  
Tai nodded his head sheepishly, than laughed as Matt shifted in his sleep. "So uh. . . did you sleep good?" Tai asked, trying to create conversation.  
  
Tonai nodded, "Yes, it got a bit cold though."  
  
"Oh yeah, sorry, the fire must have gone out." Tai replied.  
  
They sat in silence until a loud gurgling sound was heard from Tai's stomach.  
  
Tai laughed nervously, "I guess I'm a bit hungry."  
  
Tonai looked towards the untouched fruits from the day before, "I guess we * could * eat them. . ."  
  
"Yeah. . . if there were any more of those * things * in them they should have come out by now. I don't see anything in them, but than again when you first brang them I didn't see anything either so we shouldn't trust that they're safe just on my eye sight. We should probably cut them up before we eat them just to be safe."  
  
Tonai nodded pulling out her knife, and carefully picking up a fruit. Tai grabbed his staff and stood at the ready. She slowly sliced thru the fruit. . .  
  
And nothing. "Phew!" Tai said relived, Tonai smiled and handed a couple of slices to Tai. They ate peacefully for a few moments, both too hungry to have much of a conversation. Finally, when each had had their fill, Tai noticed Matt again.  
  
"Should we wake him up?" He asked.  
  
Tonai looked at the quietly sleeping Matt, "I suppose we should, he must be starving, and it would be best if we left here as soon as possible. . ."  
  
"Alright than, time for sleeping beauty to wake up and smell the sunshine." Tai said, getting up from his place near Tonai and walking over to Matt. "Hey pssst, Matt." Tai said as he neared Matt, than he suddenly stopped, as a dagger flew out of no where and sliced into the ground at his feet.  
  
Tai gulped and took a step back, "Where the hell did that come from!" He yelled looking around wildly.  
  
Matt jolted awake from Tai's yelling, "Wha—who?" Than his eyes focused on the dagger no more than three feet in front of him. "Where did that come from?"  
  
Just than another dagger sliced right next to his head, cutting off a few strands of hair. Matt's eyes bulged. What the hell was going on?  
  
"Someone's here." Tai said seriously, motioning for Tonai to get closer while slowing backing towards his staff.  
  
Matt was now fully awake as he reached up and yanked the dagger out of the tree. It was no accident that he still had his head, that was for sure, because who ever had thrown this dagger was obviously skilled.  
  
Matt got up from where he lay cautiously, looking thru the trees suspiciously. He reached down and picked up his sword, not once taking his eyes off the forest than yelled, "You got our attention, now show your self!" into the air.  
  
Tai raised his staff protectively in front of himself, pushing Tonai behind him. Suddenly, in a blur of movement a man stood before them. He was tall, maybe in his early thirties. He had jet black hair that fell across his face like knives, and wore a black trench coat over equally black armor.  
  
"Here I am." He said with an arrogant smile.  
  
"Who are you?" Matt said raising his sword towards the man.  
  
"The Dark Lord's Servant."  
  
Tai rolled his eyes slightly, "Mind giving us a name?"  
  
The man looked directly into Tai's eyes, "Kellogg."  
  
"Like the cereal?" Tai said his face twisting in a hint of laughter.  
  
Kellogg did not find this that amusing however given that he immediately lurched forwards and in a spilt second was right in front of Tai. Tai gasped in surprise and lifted his staff in defense as 'Kellogg' shot out a hand. Tai was thrown backwards when an incredible force struck him. He slammed into a tree and slumped forwards, stunned.  
  
A spilt second later 'Kellogg' was by Tonai, whom he threw to the ground in an instant. And than he rammed into Matt. Matt was slammed into the tree with a slight shout of surprise than found a very sharp object against his neck, Kellogg's dagger.  
  
Matt had to think fast, in a spilt second Kellogg would twist his wrist and bye bye Matt! He looked towards Tai, who was just recovering from Kellogg's blow, but was still to far away to help, than to Tonai, who was paralyzed in fear, than to the sword he held in his hand.  
  
With a scream of desperation he pushed back with the flat side of his sword, sending the surprised Kellogg back a few blessed steps. Matt than slashed the sword towards Kellogg only to cut into dirt. Kellogg had jumped back in a blink of an eye, saving himself from being cut in half, and was now several feet away.  
  
Tai, who had now recovered, ran towards him with his spear, but Kellogg just side stepped and than in a split second, slammed the blunt side of the dagger into Tai's back, sending Tai crashing to the ground, only to be interrupted by Kellogg's knee jutting into his stomach.  
  
Kellogg dropped Tai to the ground, where Tai laid gasping for air, than turned his sights back towards Matt, but this time it was Matt who had the upper hand. He had charged Kellogg even before Kellogg had had time to turn around, and than used his momentum to spin onto the ground and than flip Kellogg into a tree.  
  
Kellogg landed on the tree with his legs first, and than using them as springs propelled himself back towards Matt. Matt raised his sword in front of his head in a vain attempt for protection, and suddenly it began to shoot out light.  
  
Kellogg was thrown backwards from the flaming light with a shirking scream. Matt stared horrified as Kellogg's face began to give off black smoke. The man named Kellogg let out another inhuman scream than in a blink of an eye was gone, but, Matt knew, not defeated.  
  
Matt dropped his sword in exhaustion and slumped to his knee's to catch his breath. It sure was tiring when ever that damn sword glowed. "Tai." Matt said between desperate gasps of air, "you Ok man?"  
  
He was answered with a loud groan, than a "Damn that guy's punches hurt." Matt smiled weakly.  
  
"TAI! MATT!" Tonai said, finally snapping out of it and running over to them, "Are you alright? Who was that? You made that sword glow very bright Matt!" She said a hundred words per second.  
  
Tai answered, while Tonai helped him to his feet, "Yes we're alright. My guess is that that breakfast cereal of a man, was a present from the Dark Lord, and your damn right Matt made that sword of his glow. How'd you do that Matt?"  
  
Matt shook his head weakly, he was so tired, "I don't know how I did it, but I'm glad I did, or else I have a feeling we'd all be toast right about now."  
  
Tai gulped slightly, "Well it sure took its time in glowing that's for sure."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tonai asked.  
  
"Well," Tai said, rubbing the sweat off his brow, "When we first got them it glowed right away, and than with that spider thing it seemed to warn us. This time we didn't even get a warning and it took it's sweet time in glowing."  
  
"Maybe we were asleep when it glowed." Matt suggested as he looked down at his sword.  
  
"Maybe. . . " Tai said dubiously.  
  
Tonai sighed, "Well, I do not know about you two but I'd be more comfortable if we left this place."  
  
"Good idea." Tai nodded, walking over to Matt and helping him to his feet, he then scooped up two fruits from the ground and tossed them to the weary Matt, who catched them gingerly. "Bon appetite. (1)" He remarked.  
  
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` Several miles away a young women sat in a dimmed room, waiting. They were coming. She could feel it. She leaned over to ready her bow, the time had come then. The chosen had finally arrived. She let out a soft sigh. If this was true, then the final battle would soon be upon them. It would take all the might this world had to offer and then some to even hold a hope of victory.  
  
Even so, she thanked all the gods she knew that the chosen were finally in their midst. Perhaps their chances were improving after all. The chosen would most certainly hold great powers and wisdom, of this she knew for certain, for how else had they come to be the chosen?  
  
She secured her pouches upon her belt and straightened her armor. She would meet the chosen at mid-day just before they entered the city, and offer all the aid that she could, if they should so need it.  
  
With this she set off, in a blur of motion, her agile body, a gift of her race, allowing her a graceful movement, undecipherable to the human ear. Within seconds she was gone.  
  
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Darnack laid his hand upon the ground gingerly tracing the foot prints left in the clearing. There had been a great battle here, with many beasts, it appeared however, the two demons had been victorious. This puzzled Darnack. If the men that had appeared in the village five days past were demons, why then had these demon beasts attacked them?  
  
Perhaps there was more to the story then was told. He searched the clearing for Tonai's foot prints and soon found them. She appeared to be unharmed and what's more, from the position of the men's foot prints it appeared that the men had been protecting her.  
  
Another perplexing twist.  
  
He thought back of his journey to this place, thru the caves and forest, finally reaching the chard city. He tried his best not to dwell on that, it was still too hard. In fact, if not for his orders of retrieving the Excellencies daughter he would have turned back instead of venture into the city of nightmares.  
  
Thru all his search and tracking he had yet to see any signs of struggle between Tonai and the demons. Had his Excellency been wrong? Or was Tonai held in some sort of spell? If so why then had the two demons protected her in this clearing?  
  
Darnack shook his head. Best not to question right now, there would be plenty of time for that once he found Tonai.  
  
With that, he gathered himself in one fluid movement and stood to his full height, continuing on, with feather soft foot steps born of a hunter. He must remember his mission, the sooner he fulfilled it the sooner he could return to Mai.  
  
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"Tonai, are you sure that we're going the right way?" Tai asked.  
  
"Yes," Tonai said with a hint of worry in her voice.  
  
"That didn't sound very confident." Tai remarked.  
  
"It has been three years since I last walked this path, and as it appears three years since anyone else has walked this path," Tonai said gesturing to the foliage that had almost engulfed the path, "So forgive me if my memory is a bit brief."  
  
Tai chuckled, "Alright, alright, don't be mad. I trust yah."  
  
"I remember when this path was a great road." Tonai said softly, the mists of memory clouding her eyes.  
  
"Hey don't worry, we'll get that back." Tai said laying a hand on her shoulder for support.  
  
Tonai smiled, "Yes, I believe you will."  
  
Tai smiled back and wondered for a moment when she had gained so much trust in them. She had only know Matt and him for just over five days, how could she have grown to hold such a deep trust so quickly. It was at this moment that Tai noticed how quiet Matt had been since their little 'adventure' in the morning.  
  
He turned to face his friend who was a few paces back. "You ok Matt?" Matt made no response and just kept walking. "Matt, hey buddy, I'm talkin' to yah." Tai said again, still gaining no response.  
  
Tai and Tonai passed worried glances before stopping to face Matt. "Matt?" Matt stopped as well, this time giving a haughty "shhh."  
  
Again, Tai and Tonai passed glances, this time in confusion, however neither said a word, obeying Matt's command.  
  
They stood like this for several moments, Tai and Tonai facing Matt, who stood in a silent concentration. Suddenly Matt looked up, "Someone's here."  
  
"What? How can you tell." Tai said in surprise.  
  
"I don't know. I could hear their foot steps, but then they stopped." Matt responded.  
  
Tai shook his head, "I didn't hear anything." But after a moment of contemplation he said, "Then again weirder things have happened."  
  
"Such as flukes?"  
  
"You got it."  
  
Tai and Matt then got into a defensive position around Tonai, their weapons raised.  
  
"What do we do now?" Tai asked in a hushed whisper.  
  
"I don't know, say something I guess, let them know we know their out there."  
  
"What if they already know we know their out there?"  
  
"Then we know that they know that we know that—ah shut up! Just say something already!" Matt hissed in frustration.  
  
"Right. . . uh. SHOW YOUR SELF!" Tai yelled into the air, trying to put a demanding twist to it.  
  
"Show yourself, what, are we in some Greek play? What normal person goes around saying show yourself???"  
  
"Well what was I supposed to say? We know your out their?"  
  
"Yeah, something like that."  
  
"I thought we weren't doing that whole 'know' thing though."  
  
Their quarrels were ended when a slender figure stepped from the shadows.  
  
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Shia watched the bickering boys with a feeling of confusion. This must be a joke. They were no older then twenty, hardly grown into their bodies, and they were bickering like children. Surly she must have made a mistake in what she sensed.  
  
And yet, with a growing feeling of dread she saw that they held at their sides the weapons of the chosen, and the golden haired one had heard her arrival which was most impressive. No human ear could ever hear one of her race approach. She let out an inward sign. This wasn't a joke then. They were the chosen.  
  
Perhaps this was just an elaborate disguise, meant to trick the Dark One from their path, and to make him underestimate their powers. To be frank, at this moment she underestimated their powers greatly. With their boyish exteriors and bickering natures she would have assumed had it not been for her sense that they could not hold a weapon let alone be the wise chosen in the prophecy.  
  
They were looking at her now, she must say something. She cleared her throat, and glanced over them once more. They appeared a rag tag group, the golden haired one wearing what appeared a ceremonial cloak, ironically unceremoniously draped across his back. The brown haired one who appeared to hold a furry being a top his head appeared even worse, with his odd garments that mirrored the golden haired one.  
  
She made note of the girl behind the two chosen. She was more properly dressed, however she held about her an air of worry. Shia held a bit of interest as to who she was and why such grand beings as the chosen should chose to travel with such a meek girl as such.  
  
And so she spoke.  
  
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"I am Shia of the Elden clan to the east. I have been sent to help you, chosen." Shia said bowing to one knee in a most reverend state.  
  
Tai and Matt cast confused yet curious glances at each other. "Um. . . hi." Tai said after a moment. "Uh. . . Its alright you don't have to kneel." He said stuttering over his words with a bit of surprise. He had been expecting some giant blood sucking warrior, and here comes this beautiful girl. Quite a day indeed.  
  
The girl, or should he say women, for she was at least five years older then Tai, looked up with a bit of surprise then, slowly stood to her feet. Being a typical man, Tai gave her the once over. She was amply provided on the top, but to the surprise of many, even to Tai, this was not what caught his eye most it was his pointy ears that peeked thru her dark green hair. At her side she held a bow and arrow, and around her belt she wore several pouches.  
  
Matt, using his well practiced charm, had helped the women to her feet, help she took with a great deal of surprise. "You don't have to kneel for us." He said with a smile, repeating the gist of Tai's words.  
  
"But you are the chosen." The woman said with a hint of suspicion.  
  
Matt playing on the obvious fact that the women knew more then they did about the chosen, answered, "Sure we are, why is that important?"  
  
The women, or rather Shia coked her head, then pulled away from Matt gentle hand with a bit of force. "Surly you know."  
  
"Nope, not really." Tai said throwing his hands up in the air.  
  
Shia gave a suspicious eye towards Tai, while Matt rolled his eyes.  
  
"What my friend was trying to say is, we're not entirely sure why we have been sent here yet. We know we are supposedly the 'chosen', but other than that we don't know much, besides the fact that we have to defeat the Dark Lord."  
  
Shia looked at Matt for a long moment trying to judge the worth of his words. "Yes, you are the chosen, sent here to free this world and countless others from the Dark One's clutches."  
  
"Dark One? Why don't you call him lord?" Matt asked.  
  
Shia answered simply, "I do not serve him, why should I address him with such respect as that."  
  
"A good point."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
The group fell into an uncomfortable silence for a moment when finally Tonai spoke out, "You said you were from the Elden clan. I have not heard of that."  
  
The women let the slightest hint of a smile cross her lips. "Not many do. We are not from this world. We were brought here when the Dark One merged Elden with this newly formed world."  
  
"Wait, you mean that more than just the digiworld and Kanac merged?" Tai asked, having been briefed of what Matt had discovered during his conversation with Tonai in the caves.  
  
"Many more." Shia nodded grimly.  
  
Tonai's face grew troubled, "Many times the earth had rumbled like the day when we first merged with the other world. Many of my people had suspected that these rumblings meant that another world had merged with Kanac but we had no way of knowing for certain."  
  
Matt rubbed his eyes, "How long exactly have you been here?"  
  
Shia looked directly into Matt's eyes, "A year and a half."  
  
"Ok and how many worlds 'merged' during that time? Can you tell us an estimate?"  
  
"Sixty-five, not all were inhabited."  
  
"Now, how do you know that?" Tai said coking his head in confusion.  
  
Shia's answer came curtly, "My people know many things."  
  
Tai leaned into Matt and whispered under his breath, "Well that's not cryptic."  
  
"Sixty-five is a lot. Do they have any sort of pattern, can you tell?" Matt said, ignoring Tai's remark.  
  
Tai frowned at his friend, something was beginning to change with Matt. He couldn't quite place it, but something was markedly different. Just then a flash flew before his eyes, in it he saw Matt falling backwards on to the ground. Tai opened his eyes again, giving his head a gentle shake, what was that?  
  
He forced his attention away from his now throbbing head and back to the conversation between Matt and the mysterious Shia.  
  
"In the beginning they were in random order, but recently they have been coming every seven moons or so." Shia answered.  
  
"When was the last merge?"  
  
"Six moons past."  
  
Matt turned towards Tonai to confirm, who nodded in agreement. "Alright then we have to be excepting another one pretty soon. I think we shoul— ahr" Matt stopped mid-sentence to bring his hand to his head, giving out a short grown of pain.  
  
"Matt?" Tai and Tonai said in unison.  
  
With a painful scream, Matt's legs swaggered from under him and he fell backwards, luckily landing in Tai's arms before he connected with the ground.  
  
"Matt, what is it? What's wrong?" Tonai said, her voice filled with worry. Tai just stared down at Matt's tense body. It had happened, just like how he had seen it.  
  
For a long moment, Matt was still, his breathing coming in short gasps, and then he looked up directly into Shai's eyes and said, "It wasn't your fault."  
  
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OK! What'd yah think? Worth the wait? I hope so!  
  
IN THE NEXT EXCITING CAHAPTER OF MERGE:  
  
Whats up with this Shia girl? What was Matt talking about when he said it 'wasn't her fault?' How did Tai do that seeing before it happens thing? Another fluke? Who knows! I certainly don't!!! MWHAHAHA But you will soon if you stay tuned for the next exciting episode of MERGE.  
  
::theme song comes in::  
  
'Till next time!  
  
Reion  
  
03/15/04  
  
sit ubu sit. 


End file.
